Letter: School Board should promote civil discourse and look for common ground

To read this story, please sign in with your email address and password.

You've read all your free stories this month. Subscribe now and unlock unlimited access to our stories, exclusive subscriber content, additional newsletters, invitations to special events, and more.

by Sherry Buchanan and Emily Fessler, co-presidents, The League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri

Dear School Board Members,

The League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri (The League) is a proud supporter of the Springfield Public School District, its administrators, faculty, and students. One of our overarching priorities is to support equitable, safe, and supportive learning environments, so that students can become well-educated citizens and voters. We agree with the Board of Education’s goal to support all students, and we recognize that some individuals and groups need special accommodation and support in order for that to be achieved.

As a nonpartisan organization, The League strongly encourages civil discourse, particularly on topics or issues that may become polarizing or controversial. In order to have meaningful and effective dialogue as a community and as a district, we must be able to respect one another’s comments and perspectives. Without fundamental respect and transparency, conversations become counter-productive and are no longer beneficial to our district, school communities, and students.

The League encourages the Board to engage in productive civil discourse by being transparent, moderating tone, being attentive and considerate of opposing points of view, finding common ground, and differentiating between facts and opinions. We ask that Board of Education members conduct themselves in the same respectful manner that they require of community speakers and presenters at School Board meetings. We urge the Board to guard against misinformation and disinformation on topics critical to improving our schools for faculty and students. We encourage you to foster a safe environment, so that the public can continue to provide input on these critical issues without fear of retribution.