ECP Annual Debate
Is discrimination an acceptable result of free speech?
Guests: Journalists Silvie Lauder and Martin Weiss
The subject of the debate is very relevant to current events. It was therefore good that our students could hear and express different opinions on the subject. They asked a lot of good questions and the discussion was very lively. In particular, views on the issue of imposing limits on free speech within a school environment were exchanged. The guests challenged the opinions of the students and demonstrated what a proper debate should be like. We are always extremely grateful when experienced and renowned personalities visit the school. They can support our students in the search for the right questions to ask and give them experience of assessing the validity of answers they receive.
Silvie Lauder studied journalism at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Charles University. After her studies, she worked for Lidové Noviny for 3 years. Since 2004, she has been writing for Respekt. She focuses on a wide spectrum of political and social themes, including gender issues. She has written about feminism, working mothers and the crisis of the modern man. In 2013, she received the Open Society Fund award for her article about the less known history of the Czech Roma holocaust. She also interviewed the former President of the Czech Republic, Václav Havel.
Martin Weiss studied Czech and English at the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University. After his studies he wrote for the cultural samizdat Revolver Revue. He has been writing for Respekt since 1990 but for some of his career worked for Český deník, Lidové Noviny and MF Dnes and, today, he writes for Echo24. Between 1997 and 2000 he was spokesman for the Czech Embassy in Washington. He is also a translator of English speaking writers such as Niall Ferguson and Malcolm Gladwell. Martin Weiss is the father of one of our Year 4 students.
It is particularly welcome when parents of our students support us by taking an active part in the school community and its events. We really appreciate it.
See the video here:
Martin Weis
Silvie Lauder
