September 2024

“DO NOT MOVE THE FURNITURE,” the sign requested in the Lithuania Room at the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning. While I had taught Education and Society before, I had not led a class in one of the Nationality Rooms. The rigid desks and rows all facing what appeared to be an elevated throne complicated the course’s commitment to collaboration and inclusivity. My course description affirmed, “All of us are smarter than any one of us—your participation matters.” The room’s design, however, seemed to whisper, “The one who sits on this throne sets the boundaries of truth." Not quite my style.

Despite the room’s limitations, this group of curriculum specialists, aspiring superintendents, and scholars of comparative education—hailing from a wide range of backgrounds and districts—grappled with several weighty questions, including, “What function does education serve in a democratic society?” Mid-career professionals and rookie intellectuals alike challenged each other's assumptions. In a memorable conversation that stretched the topic’s outer limits, one curriculum specialist recentered the point: “This entire conversation is really about two questions: What should we teach? And how should we teach it?”

I have been grappling with those questions ever since and have often found the most interesting answers come from the students themselves. During the first week of school, students across all three divisions at St. Edmund’s Academy answered a developmentally appropriate version of the question, “What do you hope to learn this year?”

The responses from our students reveal an authentic progression of curiosity, connection, and growth that unfolds naturally as they move through each stage of their education. Whether it's a preschooler marveling at the magic of rainbows, a fourth grader captivated by marine biology, or a seventh grader focused on mastering time management, our students are continuously seeking to understand both the world around them and their place within it.

These insights from our students also highlight their desire to form meaningful connections. The Early Childhood student who wishes to "learn how to make friends" grows into the Upper School student striving to "develop leadership skills" and "navigate the social dynamics of high school." This journey from foundational learning to the acquisition of sophisticated skills underscores the value of an education that is both rigorous and joyful, one that equips students for success not just in academics, but in life.

There’s also room for the lighthearted and humorous moments that remind us of the joy in learning. A young learner’s aspiration to "learn about Paw Patrol and Rescue Pups" or to figure out "how to be a Jedi" reflects the boundless imagination and excitement within our student body. These playful yet earnest desires entwine with our academic goals, reminding us that education, especially at this level, must nurture wonder and lay the foundations for disciplined inquiry. When a student shares the simple but profound goal "to learn about myself," they are embracing the essence of our mission—reflecting our commitment to nurturing self-discovery, personal growth, and the development of a clear sense of purpose and responsibility that will guide them well beyond their years at St. Edmund's Academy.

What should we teach and how should we teach it? That afternoon in the Cathedral of Learning, we were on to something. As a class, we embodied academic pluralism. Diverse standpoints and ways of knowing collided at first, then blended in search of common ground. We became living proof of the enduring importance of “the four essential freedoms” of a university, as articulated by Associate Justice Felix Frankfurter in the 1957 case Sweezy v. New Hampshire. The opinion emphasizes the autonomy that educational institutions must have to fulfill their academic mission. These freedoms—"to determine for itself on academic grounds who may teach, what may be taught, how it shall be taught, and who may be admitted to study"—are foundational principles that ensure the integrity and purpose of any educational institution, including independent schools.

In a short series of community messages this year, I plan to focus my observations on the two central questions: What may be taught and how shall it be taught? At St. Edmund’s Academy, we believe that the development of a child's intellect is inseparable from the cultivation of their character. Our program is thoughtfully designed to guide students through a journey that begins with wonder and exploration in Early Childhood, deepens with growth and discovery in Lower School, and culminates in purpose and leadership in Upper School. By nurturing self-awareness, emotional intelligence, cultural competence, and a love of learning, we empower our graduates to live with purpose, approach challenges with humility and conviction, and collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds.

This commitment to intellectual diversity is essential because it prepares our students to engage with competing ideas in a way that fosters growth rather than division. As students in my 8th Grade English class shared during the first week of school, effective classroom discussions require mutual respect where there is room for all voices to be heard. This includes resilience in the face of perspectives that may challenge us and the patience to listen thoughtfully even when we disagree. At St. Edmund’s Academy, we encourage our students to approach disagreement with curiosity and care, believing in the sincerity and best intentions of their classmates.

Unfortunately, a recent study by the Knight Foundation found that only a slight majority of high school students (56%) feel comfortable voicing disagreement with their teachers and peers in the classroom. This statistic highlights a concerning breakdown in the ability to engage in meaningful conversations across differences—an essential skill for both a thriving school community and a healthy democratic society. At St. Edmund’s Academy, we are committed to reversing this trend by fostering an environment where students feel empowered to express their ideas confidently and respectfully.

As Kwame Anthony Appiah suggests in his work on cosmopolitanism, our interconnected world has little room for notions of homogeneity and singular truth claims. The fragmented and diverse realities we encounter every day require an education that is broad, inclusive, and adaptive. At St. Edmund’s Academy, we strive to provide such an education—one that respects the multiple truths that our students bring with them and prepares them to engage thoughtfully and responsibly with the world around them.

In the end, while we may find ourselves in rooms where the furniture cannot be moved, we can always choose how we sit in them—whether we remain rigid and fixed in our views, or we open ourselves to the possibility of growth by listening to those around us. The progress of human ideas and the thriving of any community depend not on the comfort of the familiar, but on the challenge of the unknown. When we engage with diverse perspectives—when we listen, learn, and allow ourselves to be shaped by ideas different from our own—we participate in a process that is essential not only to our own growth but to the advancement of society as a whole. Imagine where we would be if we clung only to what we know, refusing to entertain the possibility that others might hold pieces of the truth we have yet to see.

As we continue our journey together at St. Edmund’s Academy, we look forward to supporting your family. Our commitment to the students, families, and colleagues who make up our community is what truly defines St. Edmund’s Academy. It is this dedication to one another that transforms our school into a place where students are not only educated but also prepared to lead with integrity, empathy, and a love of learning. Let us embrace the immovable chairs as opportunities to engage deeply with one another, to be challenged, and to grow—not just in what we know, but in who we are as a community and as individuals committed to the flourishing of our shared humanity.