Dear Newman Community,
In the spring of 2018, the Board of Governors and Head of School Dale Smith created a Committee on Political Expression and Civil Discourse. The results of our 2017-18 school climate survey, direct feedback from students and parents, and an unusually divisive national political climate all together made the topic of civil discourse a priority as we considered ways to improve our school culture.
The committee, comprised of faculty members, administrators, and board members (including board parents, board alumni, and past board chairs) began this work in earnest in late May, and met throughout the summer. The purpose of the committee was to recommend principles and guidelines that would foster a learning environment where all students feel supported and encouraged to explore a wide range of ideas and perspectives with respect and integrity.
The committee discussions were substantive and constructive; indeed, these board-faculty-administration conversations were a model of true civil discourse. The committee read numerous articles from a variety of perspectives, examined best practices for political expression and civil discourse in independent schools, and grounded our work in our statement of purpose, our core values, and our framework for ensuring healthy adult-student relationships. While we did not always agree, we shared our perspectives and experiences in a respectful dialogue. Most importantly, we committed to truly listening to the perspectives of others.
During opening faculty meetings in early August, these principles were shared with the entire faculty and staff. A portion of opening faculty/staff meetings was devoted to robust discussion of how these principles can form the basis for healthy discourse at Newman. We have also begun the discussion of how we can ensure that these principles are embedded in developmentally appropriate ways into all four divisions of our school.
In addition to developing these principles, the committee also spent time this summer developing Guidelines for Faculty to Foster Civil Discourse. We believe that it is the role of teachers, coaches, advisors, and school leaders to challenge our students to think deeply about complex topics from a variety of perspectives, while being mindful of the impact of injecting personal political opinions. We want our students to feel supported and encouraged to ask honest questions about important issues and to present views that may conflict with those of their teachers without fear of repercussions.
Importantly, these guidelines are intended to guide the professional educators of our School in operationalizing the Principles for Civil Discourse in our classrooms and in other interactions with students, particularly those that involve complex and controversial issues. The faculty and staff spent time in opening meetings considering real-life applications for these principles and guidelines, and we will continue to focus on these professional conversations throughout the year.
As we enter a new election season, we recognize that the need for this work is more important than ever. Over the course of the next several weeks, students will be introduced to these principles in developmentally appropriate ways. Our Upper School students spent time with their advisors today and Middle School students will spend time with classroom teachers next week reviewing and discussing the Principles for Civil Discourse. (Juniors had their first college counseling group meeting today and will have their advisory conversations early next week.) In the next several weeks, teachers will build on these discussions as the guidelines are implemented in and out of the classroom.
We know that navigating complex topics requires time for skill-building and room for respectful disagreement. We share these principles today with you – our parent community – in the hope that you will become part of the conversation.
To be impactful, this work must be ongoing. As part of our self-study this year, we will be reaching out to students and parents in surveys and focus groups, and we anticipate that this feedback will allow us to better understand our school culture and offer opportunities for fine-tuning this work.
It has been our privilege to chair this committee and to work with a committed group of governors and educators. The work of this committee will continue throughout the school year as we reach out directly to hear from students and assess the effectiveness of this new set of guidelines. As a committee, it is our hope that these principles – like our core values – can form the basis for a shared understanding about what it means to be part of the Newman community.
Best regards,
| Ken Beer ‘75 |
Kim Wargo |
| Board of Governors |
Associate Head of School |
Committee Members:
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Ken Beer (co-chair)
Kim Wargo (co-chair)
Caroline Calhoun
Tracey Dodd
Catherine Freeman
Brad Gottsegen
Merritt Lane
Jay Lapeyre
Harvey Stone
Michelle Villere
|
Nowell Hesse
Robyn McCormick
Amanda Bates
Aaron Burns
Patrick Mahoney
Greg Malis
Masse Ndiaye
Robin Vogt
|
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