[Vision2020] Logos School's all-male board

[Ted Moffett]

Dale and All:

Perhaps I did not make my meaning clear enough.
The following, if patiently followed, should correct this.

I am saying that given the assumptions of an agenda that seeks to promote 
diversity, within certain bounds conditioned by the harm that may be done by 
applying the goals of diversity, it is not illogical for a person applying 
said goals to object to an institution that is seeking to limit certain 
types of diversity.  Dale, you point out certain contradictions that arise 
in applying this principle, that I answer below.

In the case of the Logos board, in replying to Bill London when he made his 
objection to not allowing women on the board, you stated that:

"..if you really believed in diversity, you would be heralding this 
organization as the only one of its kind to be so different."

Restricting women from the Logos board renders this board less diverse than 
if women were allowed, does it not?  So when Bill London objected to this 
lessening of diversity on the Logos board, he was apparently consistent with 
the goal of promoting diversity.  Your statement implied he somehow was not 
really pursuing the goal of diversity in his objections to the Logos all 
male board.   Yes, he was expressing a view that objects to institutions 
that limit female participation in the affairs of society.  You assert that 
the promotion of diversity dictates that all male school boards, being 
different, in this manner are an expression of diversity.  So Bill in his 
objections to the all male school board at Logos was in this sense denying 
diversity.

But for someone who believes that restricting women from participation in 
the fundamental affairs of society, such as the education of children, is a 
grievous wrong, then he is not contradicting himself.  Belief in diversity 
does not mean endorsing any and all private institutions just because they 
are different.  If Moscow had a private club devoted to hatred and 
persecution of blacks, which thankfully I do not believe it does, would you 
approve of this organization because it is "the only one of its kind?"  In 
this example I illustrate how "different" organizations can be objected to 
because of special harm it is believed that they inflict, though in some 
sense you could argue that the diversity of the number and type of 
organizations that are allowed has been restricted in this process.

>Ah! But is it diversity *within* an organization that matters? Or >*across*
>organizations that you are concerned about?
>

Both.

>Would you say that the local Jewish Community Center should have 
>skin->heads
>as part of their board of directors? That would be diversity within an
>organization.
>

You equate having women on the Logos board with skin heads on a Jewish 
board?

Your example falls apart rather easily as it is applied to this argument.  
Skin heads have a specific ideology that is at extreme odds with the goals 
and purpose of a Jewish organization.  To ban women, who have their children 
attending Logos, from the Logos school board, when they are just as good of 
Christians as any male, is to ban them for some reason other than any 
contradiction they present to the goals and purpose of the Logos board.

What reason would that be?  Does Christian doctrine forbid this?

>Or would you argue that it's important to have diversity within
>organizations only?
>

Diversity is important within and across organizations.  There are many 
complex issues here though that require extensive qualification to define 
when and how the principles of diversity should be applied.

>Private property rights and voluntary associations here is the key.
>

To assume your assumptions and argue from them, if Christian women whose 
children attend Logos want to voluntarily serve on the board, why should 
they be banned?  What about their property rights?  Do not women have rights 
to voluntarily associate as they wish?

Ted

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