Mission Statement: "All Means All"

"We will ensure that all students acquire skills and knowledge necessary to be successful and responsible citizens."

Friday, June 1, 2012

"Moral Purpose"


It is no secret that I have struggled with the public comment remarks Tuesday night. I accept without objection the passion and desire of a parent to have their student’s accomplishments recognized.  I also accept that a parent’s perspective and view are biased.  Mine are! 
Often perspective is skewed and limited to one’s own experience.  Arguably, the parent perspective of student success, effort, achievement, and accomplishment vary.  In the end, however, our perspective is just that our perspective.
You can’t argue or debate right versus wrong when it comes to perspective.  Agreeing to disagree is the best outcome possible with differing perspectives.  Though compromise is often touted as best practice for resolving differences in decision making, it is not the best practice when it comes to ideals, values, core beliefs, and convictions.
If we embrace “learning for all – no matter what it takes” that is manifested in our mission of “all means all” we must allow our ideals, values, core beliefs and convictions to drive decision making – not compromise.
In “Leading in a Culture of Change”, author Michael Fullan pens in a chapter titled Moral Purpose, “Moral purpose and sustained performance of organizations are mutually dependent”.  One of several points is “Moral purpose is a key element in the sustainability of organizations.  Long-lived organizations have a strong sense of purpose and are adaptive to their environments without compromising core ideals.”
There it is “adaptive without compromising”.
The questions therefore before us is how do we adapt without compromising our ideals, values, core beliefs, and convictions?
Another daunting question underpinning “adaptive without compromising” is “what do we stand for?”  It has been demonstrated throughout history the adage of when an organization or individual stands for nothing they fall for anything”.
My standing is quite clear – we must recognize achievement, growth, and accomplishment but not at the expense of others.  Expense of others is not blind to the reality of choice – choosing to be unsuccessful.  Expense of others is also not blind to a reality that individuals or families are in situations or circumstances that are beyond their control.
Rather expense to others takes into consideration a responsibility not to intentionally or purposefully make judgments or draw conclusions about others.  To do so requires making and keeping deliberate decisions to respect, dignify, and consider the actions as well as reactions of those impacted.
What does this mean in practice?
It means that those in positions of authority to make decisions consider authentically the perspectives, opinions, and feelings and make decisions based on what is best, right, and true for all – not a few.  Past practice and tradition are important.  They must however be reviewed and assessed through the ideals, values, core beliefs, and convictions of the organization for alignment.  When these customs, traditions, and practices are found to be alignment they must continue with the full knowledge that they are in fact in alignment.  Where they are not, leadership cannot ignore, disregard, or suspend ideals, values, core beliefs, and convictions for the sake of the convenience of compromise or appeasement especially if the compromise is to satisfy a few at the expense of the many.
In “all means all” our moral imperative is illuminated.  We have for too long allowed not out of malice practices that are divisive and hurtful.  Parents and loved ones have endured painful moments that others are oblivious to not because of ill intent.  Rather, the unsuspecting onlookers have little or no awareness let alone understanding of why a student, all students are not like their own – motivated, driven to argumentatively an antiquated metric.
Our moral imperative is not to cast blame or affix guilt to anyone other than possibly us.  For, we must accept the responsibility and accountability that comes with the authority of leadership.  We must be diligent in raising or increasing awareness and understanding of how our programs and practices must be in alignment of our ideals, values, core beliefs, and convictions. 
Anything less betrays our moral purpose.

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