Skip To Main Content

A Tradition of Civil Discourse

The Foundation of the Wilbraham & Monson Academy Community

As a globally diverse learning community, we engage with topics as broad and deep as the world is complicated. Having welcomed young learners from more than 60 countries and across the United States, we are uniquely positioned to inspire our students to reach their maximum learning potential. We accomplish this not only through a diverse school community, but also through a school culture marked by expressive freedom, intellectual diversity and disciplined non-partisanship.We expose students to global, national and local triumphs, tribulations and injustices - both past and present - in approaching our studies from as many perspectives as possible. We encourage thinking critically and with an open mind about causes, consequences and moral implications. We push ourselves and our students to learn as much as possible about all of the various aspects of any given topic, whether subscribed to or not, and to engage with one another respectfully and with the expectation of civil discourse.

 

Principles of Civil Discourse

Civil discourse is conversation characterized by respect and civility. It aims to foster enhanced understanding, mutual trust and continuous learning. Wilbraham & Monson Academy embraces its diversity of perspectives and expects its community to follow the principles of civil discourse at all times.

As members of the WMA community, we:

  • Respect everyone’s right to hold individual ideas
  • Approach social, ethical and political conversations with a willingness to listen to ideas that differ from our own
  • Ground discussions in fact and reason

As members of the WMA community, we avoid:

  • Direct antagonism (insults, demeaning or discriminatory language, mockery)
  • Hostility (ad hominem attacks, uncontrolled emotion, threats)
  • Excessive persuasion (misrepresentation of facts, emotional manipulation, logical fallacies)

 

The WMA Community Values should be central to any interaction in our community. This is particularly imperative as we grapple with potentially divisive topics, such as those with contemporary social, ethical and political implications. Several of the Values are particularly pertinent to the practice of civil discourse:

  • Honesty & Accountability: We should hold ourselves accountable by presenting our views with honesty and avoid manipulating or misrepresenting factual information for the advancement of an agenda.
  • Kindness & Patience: We should value our differences and support one another. Because political or social disagreements often lead to feelings of animosity, it is critical that we keep kindness and patience at the forefront of all interactions.
  • Respect: We should respect our school, ourselves and others. When engaged in conversations that contain differing viewpoints, all parties should maintain and show respect for others.

 

Advocates for all students, not activists for causes

We believe it is our role to challenge our students to think deeply about complex topics and to approach their studies from a variety of perspectives. At the same time, we encourage all members of our community to remain mindful of the impact of injecting personal opinions regarding any given topic. Specifically, teachers are expected to practice moderation when expressing personal ethical or political opinions, especially on potentially contentious topics, and will exercise an avuncular restraint when doing so. The idea is for teachers to embody tolerance and to facilitate a learning environment that promotes intellectual pluralism - the opportunity for civil consideration of differing ideas.We want our students to feel supported and encouraged to ask honest questions about important issues, and empowered to present views that may conflict with those of their teachers or classmates, without fear of ostracization or reprisal.

We approach this task through the practice of disciplined non-partisanship, which aims to counteract any unintentional bias by intentionally exposing students to as many perspectives as possible on any given topic. The objective is to provide students the most well-rounded, engaging and formative learning experience possible. Disciplined non-partisanship requires constant principled attention, but it also fosters a highly desirable learning environment. Since we will not always agree, it provides ample opportunity for the central educational practice of civil discourse.

Deliberating respectfully with others through civil discourse, especially with those who have different perspectives, is central to the learning process and is the basis for a life of healthy civic engagement. Sometimes our conversations and interactions reinforce previously held beliefs, and sometimes they bring deeper understanding of other ways of thinking. Both results contribute to the transformational educational experience that is the mission of Wilbraham & Monson Academy.