For many educators, August marks the season of pre-planning, onboarding new faculty and staff, welcoming back veteran faculty and staff, orienting new students and families, and generally embracing the excitement of another school year. While many of our routines are similar year to year, this fall school leaders in the U.S. face an additional layer of readiness.
Navigating a school year during a presidential election season brings its own set of complexities. While most of our schools strive to maintain a neutral stance and have policies that articulate this neutrality, we understand that a policy alone is insufficient for effectively navigating the political landscape within our school communities.
If you’re like me, you have spent the last few months engaging in discussions with your leadership teams, consulting other schools and trusted friends, reading extensively, and praying deeply, all in an effort to answer this pressing question: “How is my school community going to faithfully, courageously, and respectfully navigate this political season?”
Through our news coverage, social media accounts, and casual political conversations, we see the political battle lines being drawn. The political talking points, bad theology used to support candidates, acts of violence, name-calling, finger-pointing, gaslighting, etc. has already begun and will only increase the closer we get to November 5.
As leaders, how do we not just lead, but lead well during this time? While I don’t have a one-size-fits-all answer, my hope is to share practical strategies that can be implemented with ease and intentionality. These strategies consist of utilizing streams of communication, establishing common ground, encouraging open dialogue, and implementing a political policy.
Utilizing streams of communication
During this political season we will be inundated with news segments, newspaper articles, social media posts, and the most irritating—countless commercials. Information about political candidates and political parties and why one is good and the other bad will constantly fight for our attention. During this time, it’s important for our school community to be just as intentional with sending messages of community, love for neighbor, unity in Christ, peacemaking, forgiveness, and kinship.
At Fellowship Christian School, we use various communication channels throughout the year, including Weekly Words, Friday Reflections, social media accounts, Principal Corners, Parent Universities, Chapel Talks/Series, and more. These platforms enable us to consistently highlight our shared commitment to biblical truths, a biblical posture, and our hope in a risen Lord and coming King. Fortunately, we already have these practices established from which to create common ground.
“How is my school community going to faithfully, courageously, and respectfully navigate this political season?”
Establishing common ground
Establishing common ground during a divisive political season is crucial for maintaining unity within your school community. This foundation supports productive dialogue and mutual respect by focusing on the shared interests, beliefs, and values of your community. The common ground has the ability to foster understanding, collaboration, and conflict resolution.
You can achieve this common ground by emphasizing biblical truths, the school’s mission and vision, and/or the attributes of your portrait of a graduate—principles that your community collectively upholds. In the long run, working from these shared values will be far more beneficial than operating off the political fringes of society.
Note: as we establish this common ground, it is equally important to ensure that our schools remain spaces where diverse perspectives are respected, and critical thinking is nurtured.
Encourage open dialogue
As leaders, our goal is to produce disciples of Christ who will go into the world and make disciples of all nations. To achieve this end, students must be trained in the art of active listening, empathizing, and being comfortable with differing opinions while maintaining love and respect for those with whom they disagree. This political season offers a valuable opportunity to hone these skills, and we should embrace it.
Creating spaces for open dialogue involves setting clear ground rules that emphasize respect, no interruptions, and the use of constructive language. It’s essential to have a safe, nonjudgmental environment where all opinions are welcomed and confidentiality is maintained. Leaders and teachers need to model respectful behavior, such as active listening, staying calm, and being open-minded. Encouraging empathy by seeing issues from others’ perspectives and acknowledging their feelings is crucial.
“As leaders, how do we not just lead, but lead well during this time?”
Structured formats like round-robin or debate can keep discussions orderly, while focusing on issues rather than personalities ensures that the conversation remains constructive. Encouraging reflective responses and providing training on conflict resolution and effective communication can further enhance the quality of discussions. While creating spaces for open dialogue is crucial, it’s equally important to establish clear guidelines that uphold the school’s stance on political neutrality.
Implementing a political policy
Implementing a policy that reinforces the school’s commitment to political neutrality will clarify expectations for faculty, staff, and the entire school community. This policy should discourage employees from promoting or criticizing political candidates, parties, or ballot measures during work hours. It should also encourage civic engagement and respectful dialogue on relevant issues.
Additionally, faculty and staff should be reminded about their influential roles within the school and community. Advise them to exercise caution and discretion when posting on social media as their identity is always linked to the school. Being proactive in this way can be beneficial to everyone and prevent challenging situations down the road.
As we navigate the complexities of this political season, our commitment to fostering unity and community remains paramount. By utilizing our communication channels effectively, we can consistently share messages that reflect our shared values of love, unity, and peace. Establishing common ground rooted in biblical truths, our school’s mission, and the attributes we cherish in our graduates will enable us to maintain unity and promote respectful dialogue, even in times of division. Through intentional efforts to create spaces for open and constructive conversations, we can equip our students with the skills they need to engage the world with empathy and understanding. Additionally, by upholding a policy of political neutrality, we ensure that our school remains a place where diverse perspectives are respected and where the focus stays on our shared commitment to Christ and His teachings.
In these ways, we not only prepare our students to be disciples of Christ but also to be peacemakers and bridge builders in a world that desperately needs both. Let us move forward with hope, confident that our efforts will cultivate a community grounded in faith, united in purpose, and ready to face the challenges of this season together.
