NBOA President and CEO
It’s late October 2024, and perhaps you’ve heard there’s a national election approaching in the U.S.? Those of us in the States, especially swing states, know only too well how close Election Day is, and those of us in stateside schools are likely considering how to manage campus culture during this contentious time. In terms of school business, leaders also need to understand the legalities of what rules and guardrails school administrators can set. In fact, it’s essential to all school leaders, as we seek to uphold our commitment to inclusivity within our learning communities.
First, I would like to give a shout out to NBOA’s Human Resources Council, whose volunteer members recently put together a resource email on this topic. NBOA members may recall a collection of Net Assets magazine articles as well as frameworks and tools sent on September 19.
I’d like to share a few additional resources that may be helpful to you as you navigate the final two weeks before Election Day. Just this month NBOA’s Net Assets magazine published a piece from attorneys at Shipman & Goodwin LLP, “Can You Say Anything? Free Speech in Independent Schools.” It outlines IRS restrictions on political activity within tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations and explains how the First Amendment and state laws of similar nature interface — or don’t — with our schools. Attorneys Julie Fay and Daniel Schwartz also offer policy considerations and tips on setting expectations.
The reality of the national political landscape is likely to creep into a school campus one way or another now and beyond the November election.
The second helpful resource examines reputation management during the election season and was published this summer by AKCG-Public Relations Counselors. In "Independent Schools: Navigating Disruption and Managing Reputations in a Charged Election Year,” author Thomas Logue writes: “Today’s political landscape is one that invites polarization, villainization or, at best, defensiveness.” Unfortunately, the reality of the national political landscape is likely to creep into a school campus one way or another now and beyond the November election.
You might encounter a situation like one of these that Logue offers:
- A teacher’s lesson plan is mistaken as endorsing a particular candidate or issue.
- A student’s Taylor Swift concert apparel is viewed as political speech because of her support for voter engagement.
- A school staff member displays a bumper sticker on their car expressing their position on abortion.
Of course, school leaders need to know the law and related regulations, as outlined in the first article here. Beyond that, they need to navigate the culture. Logue suggests leaders first consider how the given issue aligns with the school’s mission and frame a response starting from there. He urges that school leaders “wean ourselves off letters” and other forms of written communications, and whenever possible, connect in person on these contentious issues so as to better build relationships. Additionally, he urges leaders to remember their role as educators. “Rather than guessing what our community wants to hear from us, consider what they need to hear from us.”
The pro tip here is being proactive and leaning into our role as learning communities and tapping into our unique ability as educators to facilitate constructive dialogue among our students, inclusive of all political viewpoints.
This last piece of counsel reminds me of Episode 3 of the Net Assets podcast, “Beyond Statements: Leading with Authentic Dialogue,” in which I talked with the head of the Dunn School, Kalyan Balaven, about how Dunn has taken an educational approach to mediating discussions around the Israel-Gaza war.
What was clear from that conversation and others is that independent schools can’t afford to sit back and let the community simmer. Contentious political issues simply won’t stay put on the back burner – they will bubble, boil and spill over into many if not every aspect of school life if not carefully tracked and engaged with. The pro tip here is being proactive and leaning into our role as learning communities and tapping into our unique ability as educators to facilitate constructive dialogue among our students, inclusive of all political viewpoints.
As business leaders, we are called upon to mitigate unnecessary risks at our schools wherever they may be as well as to support the full breadth of our commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. Even when situations may be tricky or even uncomfortable, I’m confident that we are collectively up to the task!
Follow NBOA President and CEO Jeff Shields on LinkedIn.
