What an EDUCATOR can do to make America great

As a product of the post-civil-rights era, I've always felt confident in our shared commitment to the core principles that have guided the progress of democracy over the past half-century. These include concepts such as universal empathy and equity of access - ideas that flow from the fundamental American belief that "all men are created equal." We might disagree vehemently about how to run things, but, since I've been alive, we've never really argued over the principles undergirding our democratic enterprise. Similarly, we've enjoyed consensus about the role of public schools in embracing diversity, extending empathy to all members of our community, and expanding opportunities to every demographic group. Indeed, such imperatives are part of public education's civic mission, and that mission has always been central to the purpose of schooling in a democracy. Now, however, it's unclear if the social-justice values inherent in schools' civic mission are as broadly held (by policymakers, at least) as we once thought them to be.

Looking at trends now afoot in our political landscape, can we safely assume that the concepts of universal empathy and equity of access are sincerely embraced by those making decisions on behalf of the American people? I'm not talking about the how of politics - I leave that to the politicians to figure out - but rather about the beliefs behind the stances being struck. Are we still for everyone being given a fair chance to pursue the American Dream? Are we still sympathetic to those whose fortunes may be catastrophically compromised by the accidental circumstances of their birth? I want the United States of America to answer such questions with a resounding, uncompromising yes, which would help me, as a practitioner, to carry out the civic mission of our schools.

In my professional capacity as a school leader, I do not seek to be controversial. My overarching aim is to bring people together to achieve common goals in support of the common good. Yet, it's telling that in 2018 I cannot be certain if empathy and equity are still cornerstones of this nation's educational agenda. I hope they are, and I will continue to work as if they are, but perhaps we ought to make explicit that schools serve a higher civic purpose, which is particularly critical in a society conspicuously preoccupied with competitive advantage, superficial status, and the acquisition of wealth for wealth's sake. And so, I'd like to offer the following acronym in support of each EDUCATOR out there who has the opportunity to strengthen our country by striving with children to …

Enlighten students' minds

Defy prejudice and discrimination

Unpack biases and stereotypes

Care for every child as if her or she were your own

Advance a passion for truth and inquiry

Tend to those most in need of love and compassion

Obliterate ignorance and the fear of difference

Redeem society with each student you reach.

At a time when our nation needs to reassert the priorities and principles that have made it great, educators should "double down on the common ground," as one of my colleagues recently put it. It is through such civic-minded efforts that we add value to our democracy and renew hope in the promise of our republic. And it is through an unwavering focus on diversity, equity, and empathy that we teach young people that there's more to a good life than merely living well.

Kurt Laakso, of Inverness, is associate superintendent for human resources in Northwest Suburban Township High School District 214 and former principal of Prospect High School in Mount Prospect.