One Schoolhouse

  • STUDENT COURSES
    • School Information
    • Student Information
    • Parent & Guardian Information
    • Summer Courses
    • Register
  • ACADEMIC LEADERS
    • Association for Academic Leaders
    • Join the Association
    • Open Doors Blog
  • CONSORTIUM
    • Join the Consortium
    • Our Schools
  • COURSE LOGIN
  • STUDENT COURSES
    • School Information
    • Student Information
    • Parent & Guardian Information
    • Summer Courses
    • Register
  • ACADEMIC LEADERS
    • Association for Academic Leaders
    • Join the Association
    • Open Doors Blog
  • CONSORTIUM
    • Join the Consortium
    • Our Schools
  • COURSE LOGIN

Schools, Be Worthy! It’s Never Been More Important

11/5/2021

3 Comments

 
PicturePeter Gow
Our educational institutions are under attack, with trumped up charges of infidelity to received truths and white supremacist norms forming much of the basis of the case against relevant and socially meaningful public K–12 education. At the same time, the elitist past and occasional arrogance of independent schools has provided much grist for journalists, and the expression of legitimate concerns about the experiences of minoritized students have added to the disparagement these schools have experienced in public discourse in recent years. The size of some private university endowments and some of their own histories of disengagement from the “real world” have attracted the attention of politicians and others keen to punish these schools for, it seems, their very existence.

First, let’s review some facts. The system of taxation in the United States favors the existence of the “non-profit” sector, in all its manifestations, by providing certain kinds of direct tax relief to such organizations and institutions and of course by relieving donors of the burden of paying taxes on their donations. On top of this, states and the federal government generally impose only the lightest of regulation—aside from obvious issues around health, safety, and prudent and ethical financial and human relations management—on independent schools. (For some light reading, check out this compendium of such state regulations as compiled by the U.S. Department of Education.)

Independent schools, in other words, live a privileged existence, going about their business free from much government “control” and generally living outside the economy comprised of other businesses of about their size and scale. 

Whence this privilege? The legal history is long and beyond my expertise, but it was largely born from the early existence of institutions that we now think of as “non-profit”—colleges, hospitals, charities, “private” schools—as entities with religious affiliations. Even in the quasi-theocracies of colonial times, keeping the management of such institutions away from governmental interference was regarded as essential. It is a simple conceptual and practical journey from the Revolution that liberated the American colonies from the control of the British monarchy to the First Amendment and the enshrinement of the legal and social principle of “separation of church and state.” Keep your taxes and rules away from our institutions of social benefit.

Well, independent schools, what is the social benefit you are providing in 2021? And what evidence do you have of both your good intentions and the successes of your endeavors as benefactors of the commonweal?

Because right now, the need has never been greater for the idealism, the high-mindedness, and the ambition to do the right thing that independent schools express in their public statements of mission, values, and priorities. As the grip of anti-progressive social and political forces threatens to tighten on and constrain our public educational institutions in their own quest to serve the national public good, independent schools can and must now step up to demonstrate the power of truth and justice in shaping the lives of children and young adults everywhere.

Practically, this moment can be regarded as an opportunity for independent schools to plant their own flags in the ground, to provide educational experiences based on their ideals and repudiating even more explicitly some aspects of their pasts and even their more recent “brands” and public identities.

But it’s more than an opportunity, people. It’s an obligation. For centuries independent schools have aggregated and arguably arrogated to themselves privileges that have proceeded from an implied historical duty to be institutions of social benefit. It is not difficult to see these privileges as endangered in this moment, and only by living up to them with integrity, vigor, and collaborative and cooperative effort can our institutions make a compelling case to society that their privileges and perhaps their very existence are worthy—by virtue of the demonstrable value they provide to society as a whole and not just to their “customers” and closed communities.

Independent schools, start right now to live up to your best values and understand your roles as keepers of a flame that a growing element of our society would like to see snuffed out. 

Now is the moment, and it may not come again.

3 Comments
Josie Holford link
11/5/2021 08:07:06 pm

Wondering whether - at this time of existential threat to democracy - we need to spend energy in the full throated/ resourced defense. of public education.

Reply
Peter Gow
11/5/2021 08:37:47 pm

Yes, we sure do, and I have long dreamt that a path might be found via which those in other sectors—private schools of all sorts—might be able to offer direct and substantive support to our colleagues in public schools and their essential work. This is on ALL schools and more critically the effort is on behalf of all students in all schools. In this space the audience seems to be primarily independent schools, which must acknowledge and assume their full role in the defense of democracy and the public good. The respect that independent schools have long enjoyed must now be earned by deeds. Plenty of people in our schools are committed to this work, and now it needs to take on an institutional, not individual, character.

Reply
Kate Rabinov
11/14/2021 02:49:42 pm

And it all comes down to living the mission! If independent schools do, and they should, then good can come from their place in the ed. fabric.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Don't miss our weekly blog posts by joining our newsletter mailing list below:

    Authors

    Brad Rathgeber (he/him/his)
    Head of School & CEO
    Beta Eaton (she/her/hers)
    Director of Student Support
    Corinne Dedini (she/her/hers)
    Assistant Head of School for Academics
    Elizabeth Katz (she/her/hers)
    Assistant Head of School for School Partnership
    Kerry Smith (she/her/hers)
    Instructional Designer for Professional Development
    Peter Gow (he/him/his)
    Independent Curriculum Resource Director
    Sarah Hanawald (she/her/hers)
    Assistant Head of School for PD & New Programs
    Sienna Brancato (she/her/hers)
    Program Manager for PD & New Programs
    Tracie Yorke (she/her/hers)
    Instructional Designer for Equity, Inclusive Innovation & Accessibility
    ​Lorri Palko (she/her/hers)
    Finance & Operations Advisor; CFO (retired)
    Karen Douse (she/her/hers)
    Director of School & Student Support (retired)

    Archives

    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    September 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    October 2013
    August 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    July 2011
    June 2002

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Organization

About
Welcome
​History
FAQs
​Calendar
​
Team Members
Board of Trustees
Employment Opportunities
© COPYRIGHT 2020, ONE SCHOOLHOUSE, INC.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Policies

Tuition & Policies
Equity and Inclusion & Non-Discrimination Policy
Technology Requirements & Policies
​Privacy Policy

School Resources

Advanced Independent Curriculum
​Partner Professional Learning Courses

Get In Touch

Have any questions?
Send us an email or give us a call.
info@oneschoolhouse.org
202.618.3637

​1701 Rhode Island Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036


We'd love to hear from you!​