StM News

Earlier this week, seniors Grant Heytens ’26 and Juliet Whitaker ’26 and junior Miriam Taylor ’27 engaged in a Socratic seminar with Upper School History and Economics Teacher Frank Canzoneri and Upper School Social Studies Teacher and Social Studies Department Chair Dr. West Stout ’99.

Together, they examined the context, limitations, and impact of the Declaration of Independence, focusing especially on the phrases “we hold these truths to be self-evident” and “unalienable rights.” Their dialogue reflected students’ ability to listen with purpose, respond with intellectual curiosity, and engage authentically and civilly with complex ideas. In the process, they considered how the Founders themselves wrestled with both language and principle as they worked to build support for the Declaration.

This event serves as an example of our commitment to civil discourse and was a powerful companion to St. Martin’s participation in the 2026 Civil Discourse Speaker Series. This year’s program, “The Declaration at 250: The Moral Ideas That Formed a Nation,” featured an exclusive dialogue between renowned author and historian Walter Isaacson and Jay Lapeyre, co-founder of The Free Society Coalition and co-author of the Happy Birthday Freedom! brochure.

Guided by our Episcopal tradition, we aim to approach conversations with a genuine openness to listening to differing ideas. We are equally committed to thinking and learning with minds open to a diversity of perspectives, grounded in intellectual curiosity, evidence, and reason. By modeling these values in the classroom, we foster a campus culture where respectful debate, deep inquiry, and student agency flourish together.