Explore how current political divisiveness is compromising school operations, coherent policy directions, and student achievement and why the courage of education leaders is so critical. Participants will have the opportunity to think about models of courageous action that have influenced their lives and work and how those can serve as a resource for courageous action now.

• Analyze assaults on education – including origins, motivations, & strategic goals.
• Learn to talk about what motivates you as an educator.
• Describe current challenges, both personally and organizationally.
• Explore different hot-button terms, including Culture, Equity, Diversity, and Anti-Racism.
• Explain the reasons these elements are important to the well-being and education of children.

Discuss what motivates people to take courageous action and how these sources of courage can serve as resources for our own action. Participants will have the opportunity to think about courageous actions that they have taken, what moved them to action, and how that motivation can be applied to current challenges.

• Describe real-life examples of courageous actions to uphold the mission of public education.
• Identify sources of courage and how these can serve as resources for courageous action.

Review current and anticipated conflict and sources of divisiveness that participants are experiencing and how this prevents us from doing what is right for students.

• Recognize the underlying rationale that motivates resistance in pursuit of equity, inclusion, and the social-emotional well-being of students.
• Learn to mitigate and manage the resistance to directives through leadership actions.

Share messages and strategies used to reframe issues in a way that reduces divisiveness and reclaims the narrative for students.

• Frame messages that communicate the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social-emotional learning programs and build common ground among constituents.
• Enact strategies for reclaiming the narrative and taking courageous stands in contentious environments.
• Identify metrics to measure the effectiveness of inclusive and differentiated initiatives.
• Monitor, track and communicate with various stakeholders about student achievement and the positive influence of equity, inclusions, diversity, and social-emotional learning.
• Respond to questions and resistance about diversity, equity, inclusion, social-emotional learning, and other significant initiatives.

Master strategies that defuse divisiveness and promote common understandings as well as how education leaders can respond directly to those who take extreme and uncompromising positions in their attacks on public education.

• Adopt an inclusive and equitable lens when facilitating community and internal team discussions and decisions.
• Learn to communicate to internal and external stakeholders districtwide decisions to promote inclusive and equitable outcomes.
• Enact practical strategies that reduce divisiveness.
• Learn how to respond to individuals who attack the actions and directions of the school or district in a way that effectively addresses issues and moves the organization forward.