It is with mixed feelings of sadness and hope that Pensarus offers this posting. The thoughtless bombing during the Boston marathon has irrevocably changed the lives of many, and it has ended the lives of a few.
One such victim,8-year old Martin Richard, had been a student of our friend and colleague at the Neighborhood House Charter School. It recently came to light that 29-year old Krystle Campbell was the daughter of Harvard employees. As our world gets smaller, we mourn with China over the passing of a Boston University student.
As Pensarus was originally founded by two graduates of Harvard College, we have many many ties to and fond memories of Boston. We send love and support to the people who have been impacted by this occurance, we honor the deceased, and we also work to the future–one marathoner toured the city, yesterday, determined not to let a terrorist move alter her positive way of life.
It will alter it, and it should, but it should also enable us to see the humanity shared by the majority of our people and it should remind of us the direction in which we need to press forward. As I read the horror stories, I could not but feel moved by the resilience and kindness of the many responders and, although little is yet known about the perpetrator, the darkness and dysfunction that must have driven the bomber.
I always think that the most important job of schools is to teach young people how to live, work, and play alongside one another, and as we look at our society and the school improvements that we make, we must continue to think of this higher goal–beyond academics.
This is coming, yes, from a Harvard graduate who loves academics. But as I have experienced in managing Pensarus, ‘smart people’ does not mean ‘good people.’ And as I, too, have felt the abuse of selfishness on a much smaller scale, I must believe that kindness can be taught, and it must be the highest standard. As we educate the world, we also want to make it safe for us to be amongst one another.
Our company has undergone a significant organizational change in the past month, which has been pending for the past 3 years. Our blog has been on-hold for the past year as we’ve made these changes, and it will move as Postereous closes its doors.
As we push off, and rebuild Pensarus, it is with every intention to highlight kindness and humility within our education and human services work. Remind us. We will look forward to the input of the greater community, and we will relaunch with the hope of humanity, that we can help unteach selfishness, disconnect, and revenge; instead, promoting cooperation, shared progress, and thoughtfulness.
Please look forward to seeing us evolve in the years to come, we thank you kindly for your support, and our hearts go out to Boston and many people around the world who are working steadily to rebuild happiness.
