Teach-in to build bridges, promote dialogue about difficult subjects

On March 4, 1969, more than 1,200 Penn students participated in the University’s first teach-in. Ira Harkavy, founding director of the Netter Center for Community Partnerships, was one of them. 

A junior in the College of Arts and Sciences at the time, Harkavy says it was a period of “significant concern and unrest,” with teach-ins taking place at educational institutions throughout the country. He recalls the ongoing Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, as well as growing criticism of whether universities were positively contributing to the greater community.

Now, nearly 50 years later, Penn is planning its second teach-in, set to take place March 18-22. Led by the University’s Faculty Senate, in partnership with staff and students spanning the entire campus, the Penn Teach-In will address “the production, dissemination, and use of knowledge.” Events, including panels and talks, exhibitions, and film screenings, will be free and open to the public, and many programs are family friendly.