Dear Colleagues and Friends:
We have been through one of the most intense, if not the most intense, election cycles of my lifetime, one which has divided families and communities. Healing these divides lies ahead of our nation.
Those among us who study and love history know that political divides test us as a nation. This is not the first election to do this nor if our democracy stands the test of time, will it be the last. But, this test is one we must face as we enter schools today with our own perspectives and values.
Our children will look to us as they do every day as adult role models of inclusivity, empathy, care, and decency. This is especially important on a day when some of our learners, children, adolescents, and teens, may come to us upset and even worried about the election results.
I believe, as with the rest of America, we educators this year have had difficulty processing issues on all sides of the political parties and candidates. We have not viewed this election as representing our four Division core values for excellence, community, respect, and young people.
In every school community, parents, educators, and even our students have had different perspectives on candidates. That is the essential nature of what it means to live in the United States of America.
Yet, you have been amazing as leaders of learning activities and conversations related to this election while facilitating civility and cultural responsiveness among the diverse students you teach and serve. Because of your work as leaders in your classrooms, we have had few incidents in which some have lacked civility toward each other. I believe because of you that will be true today.
In our lifelong learning competencies, we explicitly define two that are especially relevant. I believe these are very important for us to emphasize today as educators and learners:
Demonstrate ethical behavior and respect for diversity through daily actions and decision making
Participate fully in civic life, and act on democratic ideals within the context of community and global interdependence
Resources online designed to help young people process through this election speak to the importance of:
- Sharing with students as educators that we will always be there for them.
- Intervening quickly to ensure that no child is treated in a hurtful way or disrespected.
- Being aware that some children may have fears and we need to be ready to support them as well as provide support services such as counseling as appropriate.
- Ensuring that our school communities represent a safe space for our young people because that is the first job we must do every day.
Regardless of our own political beliefs, we need to take a stance that even as our school communities represent the great diversity of our culture, we respect that diversity and find strength in each other as we come together as community members.
Thank you for working today to demonstrate why we are the most important profession in our great nation—because today we teach and support young people through our actions to learn what it means to be respectful members of our communities and to learn what positive civic engagement means in the context of this election.
Regards,
Pam