Deliberating across difference

We live in polarized times. At the local, state, and national levels, our politics have become increasingly divisive — especially, it seems, when it comes to our public schools. As a result, the idea of common ground in matters of education policy can feel almost naively old-fashioned.

Yet dialogue, listening, and compromise are essential elements of living in a democracy. That’s because political legitimacy requires more than a slim partisan majority. Solutions with staying power are the ones that everyone can understand and live with, however unenthusiastically. Moreover, the idea of democracy as a mechanism for solving shared problems presumes that the best answers reflect the fullest range of perspectives.

How, then, can we foster consensus-oriented practices in an era of extreme partisanship, especially as it pertains to how we design, support, and sustain our public schools? Disagreement is inevitable and often productive, but only if people are willing to hold less rigidly to their positions and leave room for understanding others’ views. Even if we continue to differ in our opinions, is it possible to establish common ground when it comes to how best to educate our children in and for democracy?