To foster an accepting and welcoming school environment, begin with three important questions: What kind of climate would you like to see in your school? How would you characterize yourself? When was the last time your tolerance was tested? Describe the scene.
Ting-Yi Oei
The answers educators give to these questions will help them "get to the core" of their beliefs about schooling and the students they teach, stated Ting-Yi Oei, assistant principal at an alternative high school in Fairfax County, Va. Creating an inclusive environment is not "just about honoring different ethnic backgrounds," said Oei. Respecting students' diversity includes accepting and welcoming students from different socioeconomic backgrounds, students with wide-ranging language needs, students of varied sexual orientations, and so on.
In his conference session, Teaching Tolerance in Our Schools, Oei asked participants to grapple with the kinds of issues that "test the tolerance" of teachers and students every day.
Consider the following scenario, for example: A teacher, alarmed by several entries in a student's journal, brings the journal to the principal's attention. The student has threatened to hurt himself and others. What should be done?
First, said Oei, the student needs to be immediately referred to a mental health professional. Once he's in safe hands, the principal should then find out why the teacher didn't report the journal entries sooner and review with her the school policy that guides educators' actions in this kind of situation. Most schools, Oei noted, now have a no-tolerance policy with regard to threats of violence. "The teacher should have reported it right away," he said.
Here is another case study: An elementary school teacher overhears a group of boys teasing each other. Laughing, one boy calls another boy "nigger." (Both boys are African American.) What should the teacher do?
Oei and several workshop participants agreed that the teacher "can't ignore the situation." Teachers should remind students that offensive language simply isn't used in school. "It's not just a ‘black and white’ issue, it's a school policy issue," Oei stated. Teachers can then find or create lessons that can help children explore why the term is hurtful and shouldn't be used.
Through such case studies, Oei hoped that participants would be more willing to examine the "things we do, day in and day out" to ensure that all students have a place in school. School policies and the actions of all members of the school community must contribute "to an environment that's trust-based and just," stated Oei. "What we do must model fairness, equity, and justice every day."