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“I believe empathy is the most essential quality of civilization.”
– Roger Ebert
If you are feeling like the School Board Election is tapping into existential questions about what it means to be patriotic, a good parent, the role of public education, and wanting the best for our children, you are not alone. It has also exposed intense polarization between factions.
Empathy is an antidote to bullying and polarization and a necessary quality for building healthy relationships and thriving communities. Encouraging youth to imagine walking in another’s shoes – understanding what it is like to live as someone in very different circumstances – builds empathy and compassion. Learning about the complex, nuanced history of this nation enlarges students’ understanding, builds critical thinking skills, and helps students be positive contributors to thriving communities – these are all timeless values. For example, understanding that as a man who enslaved more than 100 human beings, Thomas Jefferson’s assertion that “all men are created equal” within the Declaration of Independence did not really mean that all people – or even all men – had equal rights at that time. Exploring the implications of that reality from Jefferson’s time to the present day for black Americans, helps to open students’ eyes and hearts to the truth that different people have experienced different legacies in this country. Learning history from multiple perspectives builds empathy, courage, and wisdom – qualities we seek in leaders. Rates of empathy have been in steep decline in the US. Yet empathy is urgently needed to overcome polarization and to create strong, vibrant communities where healthy dialogue across differences and respect for each other’s positions are a given.
I’m excited about having a school board that supports strong foundational educational principles and understands the importance of developing empathy and critical thinking skills within our students. That is why I support Glenn Fox, Kate Henson, Michelle Craig, and Scott Moore for the Chelsea District School Board.
