That philosophy guides the Ethics Department Chair, Sr. Joseph Murphy, for his first-time tenth grade students. Sr. Murphy explains that, “they [students] think of opinions somehow like it’s property that they ‘own it’ somehow, but they really don’t own it fully until they can argue for it. Knowledge in a certain sense is a process, and you have to arrive at a conclusion through a process.”
Over this past Summer 2021, Ethics Department Chair Sr. Joe Murphy contributed a chapter within the anthology Intentional Disruption: Expanding Access to Philosophy (2021) published by Vernon Press. The anthology edited by Stephen Miller outlines how educators in philosophy have implemented the discipline at the pre-college level.
Students are always “in process” in class, formulating their ideas, at times, only in Spanish. Joe Murphy’s chapter “Once a Philosopher-In-Hiding: Teaching Philosophy in Spanish in the USA” details his journey from being the language department chair to trailblazing the now expansive ethics department curricula. He is one of few educators to integrate second language education with philosophical inquiry emphasizing that, “language is a way that we identify ourselves. When we talk and when we use language, it’s one of the ways that we make sense of the world.”
Philosophical education in high schools is often attributed as “critical thinking”. Sr. Murphy argues that what precedes the idea of “critical thinking” is first philosophical inquiry. He has seen what it provides in little moments: parents amazed with how their children have learned to discuss hard questions over the dinner table. Sr. Murphy hopes and implores other schools, administrators, and philosophers-in-hiding to take the leap. After all, they will become the philosophers and leaders of our future.
D-E Hosts the 2026 Student Summit on AI
The D-E Student Committee on Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), advised by Chief Innovation Officer Diana Gross, recently hosted the Student Summit on AI in the STEM Building. The event brought together students from schools such as Newark Academy and Kent Place “to...
Congrats to Cum Laude Society 2026 Honorees
Seniors from the Class of 2026 were recently honored for their academic achievements and community leadership in co-curricular endeavors, service, and other activities, at the D-E Cum Laude Society Induction Ceremony in Hajjar Auditorium. D-E Head of School Dr....
Calliope Wins Gold!
Kudos to Calliope 2025 for receiving national recognition by earning its 1st Gold Crown Award in 43 years! This is the highest award given by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) to arts-literary magazines. “This has been the most incredible news,” said...
Art in Action Paints Windows for Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day
In what has become a D-E tradition for Bulldogs Are Beautiful Day, members of the student organization Art in Action, advised by Art & Design Faculty Rachel Brusky, wielded window-painting markers for a vibrant spring refresh of the Campus Center windows. These...
Service-Learning Initiatives Inspire 7th Graders
Seventh Graders recently learned about service learning first-hand from organization founders and high school students who started their own community programs. Students gathered in the 7th Grade Porch to listen to a panel, moderated by Ms. Patel and Ms. Butterman,...
MS Assembly Recognizes Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)
During a recent Middle School (MS) assembly, students were incredibly privileged to hear directly from Nana Lawton, a Holocaust survivor and great grandmother of Brian G. ‘31, in recognition of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). The assembly started with Justin...
Lower School Celebrates Community, Earth Day
Sporting their Spirit Day athletic team jerseys and T-shirts, Lower School students entered the gym for this week’s LS Assembly as the iconic song “We Are the World” played in the background. The song, as the fifth-grade presenters described, “is about being kind and...
2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Award Recipients
The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers’ annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is an opportunity for creative teens in grades 7-12 to submit their artwork or written work for a chance to receive opportunities for recognition, exhibition, and scholarships....
MS Student-Led Assembly Recognizes Womens’ History Month, Showcases “Rhythm & Grooves” Discovery Class
A recent Middle School (MS) Assembly recognized Women’s History Month and featured a live performance from the “Rhythm & Grooves” MS Discovery Class, showcasing our MS students’ initiative in the process. First, a group of MS students shared how they initiated,...
Developing ‘Whole-Souled Citizens’: A Conversation with US Dean Emily Sclafani
Ms. Emily Sclafani, Dean of the Class of 2026, has been actively involved in helping to develop a strategic plan for D-E that applies, as she wrote last summer, “our founders’ wisdom to the challenges of a changing world.” This work, articulated here, is based on an...
