My Non-Negotiables

Do No Harm

I cannot accept behaviors in my school community of someone intentionally hurting someone else. someone intentionally harm someone else in my school community.  Children do this all the time because they are still learning interpersonal relations, but adults should know better.  In the case of children, restorative practices can help children understand the impact and harm they caused someone else.  But trained teachers and staff who intentionally or mindlessly hurt a student is another story and that is a red line for me.

Integrity

Without honesty and a common baseline of moral principles, it is almost impossible to build a peaceful and inspiring learning community. A student catching a teacher in a lie can have profound impacts on that child's willingness to learn from and engage with that teacher as well as taint their reputation among the other children. A lying principal can have school-wide negative impacts on morale and their ability to be a transformational leader. 

Open-Minded

Merriam-Webster defines open mind as "a willingness to listen to or accept different ideas or opinions." This is a foundational value that allows teachers to really listen to and accept their students and their families perspectives, that allows the community as a whole to consider new best practices, and that allows for an inclusive and multicultural community to coexist in peace.  It also is the foundation for being open to change. Clinging to the past or thinking "my way is the best way" is a recipe for stagnation and becoming irrelevant.  It is a red line for me because lack of an open mind can cause real-life repercussions such as racism, within and outside of the school.