By Donald Gilpin

The Jim Floyd Memorial Lecture at the Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church Saturday morning, featuring an open community discussion on the school referendum and a conversation with futurist Chet Sisk on “Blacks and the Future and Current World Paradigm Shifts,” provided energetic, illuminating discussion on all sides and a dynamic culmination to the ten-day 2018 Joint Effort/Safe Streets Program.

Kip Cherry, one of the referendum panelists along with Leighton Newlin, Joel Schwartz, Greg Stankiewicz, and Michele Tuck-Ponder, described the dialogue as “balanced” and the commentary as “vigorous,” but “very civil and not combative.” “Everyone is trying to do the best they can for our school system and our children,” she said. “We’re all concerned for our students. People in the community have a lot of questions, a lot of concerns.”

Shirley Satterfield urged that additional discussions about the referendum between the community and the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education (BOE) need to take place between now and the vote on November 6. “It affects tax payers. It’s a discussion that must continue,” she said.

Newlin described the “meaningful exchange of positions on the referendum, both pro and con” and pointed out that the audience of about 100 was far more “comprehensive, inclusive, and diverse” than gatherings at previous referendum information sessions. Warning about possibly dire consequences of the referendum, he predicted large increases in property taxes and “only rich people able to afford to live here.”

Schwartz emphasized that “People had a lot of questions and concerns, questions they felt had not yet been answered.” He noted that though there have been many presentations on the subject of the referendum, this was “the first time when the event wasn’t run and controlled by the BOE.” He praised the high level of diverse conversation. “A lot of ground was covered,” he said.

Future Shocks

Claiming that we’re in the fourth industrial revolution, keynote speaker Sisk presented his view of the future and the dramatic effects of artificial intelligence (AI) and climate change on the world.

He predicted that 47 percent of jobs in the United States will change in the next few years because of AI, and many will be left unemployed or struggling to adapt. He went on to urge that mankind needs to become more human, with more mutual respect and more connections among humans.

“His outlook on the future was driven by data and past events,” said Lance Liverman. “Unless we as a united people come together and work together, we may not have a place to call home.”

Tuck-Ponder added, “My major takeaway was his emphasis on the African concept of Ubuntu, which promotes collective action: ‘I am because we are. We are because I am.’”

Bob Hillier, a Town Topics shareholder, whose Studio Hillier hosted the Joint Effort kick-off reception on August 3, praised the leadership of John Bailey in organizing the ten-day celebration and moderating many of the events.

“It was a great week, good for the community,” Bailey said. “We’re getting closer and closer. We’re not there yet, but we’re getting closer.”

Satterfield, president of the Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society, emphasized the importance of the event in “keeping our heritage, keeping our community intact. We want to keep this going and to bring in the whole community of Princeton.”