by Maria Corse
 
“This month, we’re looking to secure sponsorship placements with five prominent sites and we’ve identified your site as a potential candidate.”  This  quote was taken from a digital marketing agency email I received early Thursday morning.  As they most likely intended, my first reaction was, “wow, people are actually finding and reading the DRC blog …”, and, then, at that exact moment, my innate skepticism and common sense kicked into overdrive.
 
Even if this was an above-board, legitimate proposal, which it is not (someone who understands the ins and outs of the internet far better than me, confirmed my suspicions), DRC is not for sale.  We will not have advertisements on our website.  And, we will not change our policies, philosophy, or mission, simply, because there may be the promise of an infusion of cash into our austere bank account. 
 
For us, this is a relatively easy stand to take.  No amount of money, no matter how enticing, is worth compromising our integrity, our morals, or, for that matter, the very foundation, upon which, we are built.   
 
You can’t escape from the hyper-sensationalized, consumeristic, and profit-oriented world we live in, where TV screens spewing the “latest-breaking” news can now be found at every grocery store check-out lane, bank lobby, restaurant, airport lounge, and waiting room. While on the internet, clickbait, disguised as important articles, lead us through a never-ending stream of pop ups for additional clickbait.  All of which is presented as needed/useful “information”, when, in fact, it is nothing but propaganda – encouragement to buy something or to highlight our differences with the intention of dividing us.
 
I am determined, however, that the spaces in my care will remain commercial free: where folks are encouraged to think for themselves, where diversity, of all sorts, is honored and celebrated, and where important decisions can be made without partisan and profiteering influences. Because, our students and their families have every right to expect us to keep our promise of unbiased commitment to supporting and mentoring them through all of their ideas, endeavors, and aspirations. And, you, the readers of this blog, deserve a safe place free from commercialism – with no ads to click through or read around, no pop ups invading your space, no slick sales pitches, and absolutely no distractions from the intended message.  

​You may regard the following as a gift, or, simply, a bonus notion to contemplate as you celebrate the season.

Responses to Diversity

You are not like me, therefore I can:
 
judge you
put you down
​distrust you
bully you
disparage all you believe in
 and, hate you -
​without really knowing you

Ambivalence 

I am afraid, don't want, or, know how to respond

Or -
 
We are all human, therefore I will:
 
celebrate our differences
learn from you
honor your beliefs
defend you
and, love you -
​without reservation








May your celebration of the return of the light be merry and blessed with loving family and friends, good food, and many delights.   

Blessed Yuletide, Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, Happy belated Hanukkah and warmest wishes for a peace-filled New Year!

 by Maria Corse
 
Rebel is a noun or adjective when spoken with one syllable and an action with two. Rebel is an awesomely well-rounded, multi-purpose word that speaks directly to my heart.  Yes, I am a rebellious, non-conformist who defies traditions to compel change within a particular segment of our culture, which, as it happens, is continuously pressured to stay the same – a three-pronged categorization I am proud to own.   
 
Throughout history, the revolutionary process has not been instantaneous. It swells slowly, but steadily over many years gathering strength from the ground. Over time, many of those who have been compliant and obedient cogs in the wheel, realize they are being royally hoodwinked, until the number of disenchanted, disenfranchised, and pissed off citizenry reaches the, all-important, tipping point, where spontaneous combustion produces a conflagration that cannot be ignored - some more fiery than others.
 
The questions and answers, leading up to any uprising, will always remain the same.  Why is beneficial progress being impeded?  Who stands to gain the most from stagnation?  The answers are simple to expose – no need to look any farther than the wealthy and powerful who will be most harmed by changes to the industries and systems that made them affluent and dominate.
 
In case you have not noticed, the rumbling of the resistance is reverberating through-out society. Direct challenges to our governmental decision-making policies are leading the way, while others are taking on the overarching authority of the insurance, health care, tele-communication, and prison industries, racial and patriarchal attitudes (with the BLM and #metoo movements), and law enforcement, as well as the educational system.
 
You are welcome to join us – the rebels, the mavericks, and the change makers who, with open hearts and minds, resist compulsory assimilation, and, work outside the system to seek and implement innovative and viable alternative methods and philosophies. The tipping point (you only need 10% of the population to reach the flash point) to vast cultural metamorphosis is within reach.   

DRC News

​Check out the newly configured and streamlined Why and How it Works pages on the website.  Our goal is to make the information clear and concise.  Contact Maria with your feedback.  

Shiver Me Timbers - Silent Auction

Save the Date - A fun way to support DRC during Canton's Winterfest.

By Maria Corse

​I always hesitate to use the word “empower” to describe what we do – however, besides flexible and spontaneous, it is the only one that seems to fit. Our students learn fairly quickly that any proposal they present is, without a doubt, viable. They are free to explore anything that intrigues them. We are here to listen and facilitate. When a student first joins us, they often ask, “can I …?”. Within weeks, or, sometimes days, after consistently receiving the standard response, “of course”, they start saying, “I am going to do” …, or, “we can … ”, knowing full well that we will support them in any of their endeavors.

When people hear that DRC students are in charge of their own education – they often interpret that to mean that these kids are bratty, undisciplined dictators with no regard for others. When, in fact, the complete opposite is true. We are each held personally responsible for all of our choices - those occasional bad decisions are, simply, seen as another valuable learning tool. Within this, our students understand, on a deep level, that respect is at the center of every relationship. We honor all of their ideas and resolve and they, without hesitation, respect our expectations of fair-play, kindness, courtesy, and engaged participation.

Every interaction, activity, and class is infused with this basic philosophy of free choice and heartfelt regard. Last Thursday during our community meeting one student asked if anyone would like to do a holiday gift exchange. After much discussion about the logistics, I am still not certain if we are doing one; however, it was very clear that they wanted to set it up so no one felt obligated to participate.

During that same meeting a teen completely out of the blue said, “let's do a holiday play.” I reminded them that if we did not count our outdoor excursion days, there were only five days before we leave for Winter Break. “No worries, we got this” – she responded. Within half an hour they searched the internet and found a severely annotated script for The Grinch, and had it edited/revised with roles assigned.

A little later that morning, I was informed that the Seedlings were putting together a SpongeBob play. They were printing off images of the characters, coloring and cutting them out, and glueing them onto popsicle sticks to make puppets. The script was also in full collaborative production. I have learned that at DRC one scheme quickly inspires a thousand.

Our Beliefs class, conceived from one teens desire to research Demonology, progressed this Friday, from a planned Paganism discussion, led by one student who brought several resources from home, including a picture book about dinosaurs and a magazine that displayed monsters,

into an unplanned conversation about Witch Craft, which holds a fascination for another teen. The class ended with me making contact with a practicing Witch to see if we could set up a time to meet her via video-conferencing to learn more.

One teen asked if I could help him make a fleece face mask with the “Punisher” appliqued on the front. While we were in the process of designing it, another teen said she would like to make one with a star. At that point several others decided they wanted fleece face masks as well – they will be in full production on Monday.

At one point on Thursday I heard, “I want to bake something” - by the end off the day, we shared a delightfully, tasty frosted nutmeg cake.

The group conversation in the chill space, late Thursday afternoon, revolved around an intense debate about individual opinions which are argued and supported by various resources, such as the Bible. The discussion had the potential of becoming extremely contentious and uncomfortable; however, we were able to talk about how people are prone to seek out specific information that supports their own agenda while ignoring the opposing particulars, without pointing fingers or blaming.. When the student who had provoked the debate – became agitated about presenting something that might not have been entirely true – the seven year old jumped in to say, “but that is how you learn. It is important to make mistakes.”

Amidst all this, the kittens were swaddled in fleece blankets, delighted with the undivided attention during their afternoon naps.

As you can imagine - everyday at DRC is a little bit of an adventure – not much is planned or plotted out (and, if we do start with a plan it is often left on the wayside or incorporated into the new proposition). However, we are always busy, engaged, and learning. All of us understand that every activity, discussion, and voice is important and valued here. We are all encouraged (and yes, feel empowered) to bring our thoughts and ideas forward into this environment, where they can be evaluated, discussed, and acted upon without ridicule or judgment.   ​

Most, if not all, beings (I am talking humans and animals here) have a bi-polar relationship with fear. It sometimes pushes us to do things that we wouldn’t otherwise do – at other times it stops us dead in our tracks, for no explicable reason.  For most of us (animals included), fear also serves the purpose of keeping us away from imminent danger, and, well, alive.  

Many people love to get scared. Think about the popularity of horror films and books, roller coasters, young children playing peek-a-boo, or for that matter the adrenaline junkies who get their fix by doing the things that most of us wouldn’t do in a million years.
 
Since the beginning of time (or at least since the time that oral traditions have been recorded), humans have created fantastical cultural or religious myths, featuring monsters and other worldly creatures, which were each designed around a particular fear. The world’s mythologies are littered with barbaric fiends and the monotheisms have Satan or the Devil.
 
As we have learned during our newest class at DRC, Rites, Rituals, and Beliefs, religion has three main functions: comfort, origin stories, and control.  

This last one, in my mind, is the predominant objective of all formalized belief systems.  By creating monsters based on fears (from the natural world as well as “others”), religious ideologies have used those innate human feelings of anxiety to influence behaviors. 

Sometimes they work, but, I would guess, that more frequently, they don’t.  As mentioned in previous posts, we humans are perverse creatures.  We, simply, don’t respond well to rules, limitations, or scare tactics. In fact, it is probably safe to say that each of us produces our own monsters, as a way to rationalize or deal with our own personal neuroses. The threat of going to Hell will not stop me from doing something, but put a mouse in my kitchen and I will not step one foot in there until it is gone (by which, I mean in a trap, dead – apologies to all small mammal lovers).  That rodent may be tiny, but in my mind, it is as colossal as any monster the Ancient Greek’s ever came up with.  The same goes for public speaking, attending social gatherings, dealing with officialdom (government forms and applications), or even picking up the phone to call anyone (whether I know them or not) - all phobias, that I do battle with - on the daily.  I must admit that on some days I am more victorious than others. There are many evenings that I crawl home in defeat resolving to do better on the morrow. 
 
To acknowledge that our fears represent something we need to do - to grow - is often the first step. In my experience, you will get on with all the important stuff you are destined to accomplish after you are able to invite your monsters out from under the bed - by name, into broad daylight, where you can wrestle them into manageable motivational tools.  
​
As for my mouse, rat, snake, and bat phobias, those can stay right where they are - no need to welcome them into my life, quite yet ...   ​