Where is the trust?

Remember
that 2003 song by the Black Eyed Peas, “Where is the love?” … “What’s wrong
with the world, mama?”

Well,
in our schools these days, we’re wondering “Where is the trust” and what’s
wrong with our schools?

In
special education, parents and schools distrust each other—in fact, that is how
the law contemplated their relationship. Now, more than 35 years later, we need
to fix that. Unions and school districts often don’t trust each other.  Teachers worry about getting sued; educators
document everything. Parents worry about how their children are taught. Even grades
and report cards are subject to lawsuits these days!

Stephen
M.R. Covey’s 2006 book, The Speed of Trust—the one thing that changes everything, is right on point. The
title says it all!  When there’s trust,
good things happen fast.  That old
handshake still lives somewhere!  When
there’s no trust, we get bogged down, making it hard for good things to happen.

Trust
is the missing link in many arenas in our education world. It’s time to focus
on rebuilding it.