Nov. 9, 2018

Imagine a decision-making process in which there is no voting, no alliance system, and no rush to judgment. Arthur reminded our faculty that Quaker decision-making requires hard work. We have come to understand that the process grows out of a shared sense of community, that good decisions will be inclusive and open to multiple viewpoints, and that the wisdom of the group exceeds the wisdom of any individual in the group. The process is one of discovery, in which the group will come to know what is right for them at that particular time. We were all reminded to trust in each other and the process, to release an idea to the group, and to respect the work of committees and experienced people in the process.

 

Trustees experienced a similar workshop on Saturday, as they explored decision-making at a different level. On Sunday, Arthur met with members of the school and Adelphi Friends Meeting to explore and strengthen the care relationship between school and Meeting.

 

At its best, Friends decision-making is non-adversarial, collaborative, and inclusive; it requires practice at listening, reflecting, community, discovery, and letting go of individual agendas. Increasingly, our teachers and Trustees use this process to make important decisions that affect our school. We also teach the practice to students as they learn to make decisions in the classroom, in committees, and in their lives beyond FCS.

 

In Peace,

 

Larry