Election Day is quickly approaching. In a little over a month, the elections will be behind us. I watched with millions of others the recent presidential debate with dismay and embarrassment, not only for the two candidates, but for our country. What has happened to us as a society and to the civil discourse that is supposed to be at the center of our democracy?
Becky Foley is superintendent of schools in Regional School Unit 5 (Freeport-Durham-Pownal). She can be reached at foleyb@rsu5.org.
One of our guiding principles in RSU 5 is to teach our students to leave high school as clear and effective communicators. We want our students to demonstrate organized and purposeful communication. At the heart of civil discourse is the word “civil,” which means courteous and polite. During the 90-minute debate both candidates embarrassed themselves and were disrespectful through their rude comments and unappealing facial expressions. As an American citizen, I want a leader I can be proud to call my president. The president serves as a model for our students of what civil discourse should look like.
In RSU 5 we teach our students about the power of our words. We use morning meetings at the elementary level and advisory times at the secondary level to facilitate conversations about the importance of our words. We teach our students to clearly communicate and use appropriate language to understand different perspectives and share ideas. Even when we have different opinions, as the candidates did, it is all the more important to be respectful when we disagree. Being aggressive or offensive when trying to persuade builds a wall that inhibits the exchange of ideas. I want our leaders to understand the power of their words. I want a leader who doesn’t tell others to shut up or accuse others of not being smart. How can there be an authentic exchange of ideas when the debate is interspersed with frequent interruptions and demeaning comments? Isn’t civil discourse meant to be informative, respectful and honest?
Leaders are the models that our students look up to. Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders. We need our leaders to exhibit rational thinking and behavior for those who aspire to our highest offices. We frequently see the same type of incivility on social media. It only takes reading public comments online to see the communication quickly devolve into name calling and insulting one another.
Within the next couple of weeks, RSU 5 will offer opportunities for an exchange of ideas. We will be discussing whether RSU 5 should remain in the hybrid model or move to full in-person learning. Staff are invited to share their ideas at 3:45 p.m. Oct. 7 and parents and community members at 6 p.m. Oct. 13. Both meetings will be held via Zoom. There are many strong opinions on both sides of this issue. Unlike the presidential debate, my goal is to have a respectful exchange of ideas and have participants model civil discourse. This authentic exchange of ideas will lead to decisions that will best serve our students and community.
The moral compass of our country is lost. There were no winners in the presidential debate. We can do better. We must do better for our children, for our country, for the preservation of our society. Let’s look at ourselves in the mirror and deep within our hearts and ask, “How can I model the behavior I want to see in my future leaders?” Civil discourse begins with me, my discussions with neighbors, colleagues and with those who may not always agree with me. Let’s purposefully mold our thoughts and our words until we return civil discourse to our society. Will you join me?
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
