Political Philosophy for J. Carolan Smyth, III

Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Rancho Santiago Community College District; Trustee Area 3

My philosophy in education is centered around the student as a social, learning being. The most powerful education springs from the wisdom of our elders and our peers in a group setting. The philosophers I draw from in education theory are: John Dewey, L. Vgotsky, and Ludwig Wittgenstein.

We are all students and teachers seeking a better way of life for our plural community, family and ourselves. Education can provide us with many choices; however, we need sound judgment to make the proper decisions.

My position is one of creating choices and providing a foundation for good judgment. We never stop learning and we should never stop teaching. Student, by definition, has no age barrier. Therefore, we are all life-long learners. Education and learning help us creat a resilience in the challenges of life. As a Trustee, and most importantly as a steward, I would take this responsibility very seriously.

The right of the individual in society needs to be respected and fostered. Equally so, the individual has an obligation toward the community and society as a whole. We need individual citizens who are contributors toward an economic system and who are well informed to build and sustain a virtuous civil society.