November 19, 1988 - On this Midday program, a special documentary about teenage pregnancy produced by Carol Gunderson from member station KLSE in Rochester. Following dcocumentary, Dr. Betty Jerome, director of the Teenage Medical Center at Minneapolis Children's Hospital, answers listener questions on the subject.
December 3, 1988 - MPR’s Bob Potter talks with Clark Morphew, religion writer for the St. Paul Pioneer Press dispatch. Morphew discusses current issues in religion, including decline in membership of mainline churches, rise of fundamentalist churches, Jewish definition debate, and social aspect of church. Morphew also answers listener questions.
December 6, 1988 - Al Santoli, author of "New Americans: Immigrants and refugees in the US today," discusses the current wave of immigration to the United States. Santoli also answers listener questions.
December 12, 1988 - Albert Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers, speaking at the Itasca Seminar. The theme of seminar was "Balancing Educational Excellence and Equity in the Public Schools". Shanker stated educators face a daunting challenge, but a challenge that can be met if we looked at the system in new and creative ways. He also shared his view that U.S. schools are turning out 80 percent lemons - students who can't handle routine tasks. He suggested treating schools less like factories that churn out students on an assembly line and more like an office where co-workers cooperate on achievement. Itasca Seminar is a summit for Twin Cities political and business leaders.
January 19, 1989 - Nicholas Johnson, one-time member of the Federal Communications Commission, speaks at Carlton College in Northfield, Minnesota as part of the Carleton Lecture series. Johnson’s address was on the topic "Who Controls the Media: The Politics of Broadcasting." He traces some of the history of telecommunications and talks about how putting existing technologies together as an important part of change.
January 26, 1989 - Seymour Fliegel, New York deputy superintendent of schools in New York's District 4 – Manhattan, speaking at the Itasca Seminar. The seminar’s theme was "Our Public Schools: Balancing Educational Excellence and Equity." After speech, Fliegel answers audience questions. Fliegel is an acknowledged authority on schools of choice for public education and credited with developing a system of alternative schools in District 4 that has vastly improved the accomplishments of the children of East Harlem.
January 27, 1989 - Steve Emerson, author and senior editor for U.S. News and World Report, speaks at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota as part of Carleton Lecture series. Emerson’s address is titled "Reporting vs. Reality: How the News Gets Filtered." After speech, Emerson answered audience questions, including patterns of evening news, broadcasting standards, lack of certain press coverage, and press manipulation by terrorists.
January 30, 1989 - Patricia Schroeder, a Colorado congresswoman, speaks at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota as part of Carleton Lecture series. Schroeder addressed the need for reducing the deficit, spending more of our money on education, day care, and health coverage…and less on military projects. After speech, Loeb answered audience questions, including voter turnout being low because of registering difficulty, the last presidential election, legalizing drugs, Roe vs. Wade, Jack Kemp, and reelection of congressional incumbents.
February 6, 1989 - MPR’s Kate Smith reports on protests over incidents of police brutality.
February 8, 1989 - Paul Loeb, author and reporter, speaking at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. In his address, Loeb describes the split he sees in American culture - those who on one hand have what he calls compassion towards social causes but who continue to elect what he sees as regressive leaders. Loeb says the split in our culture is due in part to the manipulation of the media by public figures and the confusion among Americans on a range of issues. After speech, Loeb answered audience questions, including studies available, allocating volunteer time, and the use of media by public figures. Loeb's first books are titled, "Nuclear Culture: Living and Working in the World's Largest Nuclear Complex” and "Hope in Hard Times: America's Peace Movement in the Reagan Era."