Since the Covid pandemic, there has been a decrease in trust in our district. There are teachers who have lost trust in the administration, parents who have lost trust in our schools, and administrators who are wary of every interaction turning adversarial. This loss of trust has made it hard for people to communicate clearly, which causes a further loss of trust.

This cycle must be broken. As a board, we can lead by example. The board can spend extra time explaining the how and why of their decisions. Items on the consent calendar can be explained to the public, even if they believe extended discussion is not needed. Brown Act constraints can be explained prior to the public forum, every time. We can require the administration to respond faster, more transparently, and clearly to pressing concerns — even if the answer is “we don’t know yet, we’re working on it!” Being open in this manner requires assuming good faith, and can make the district more vulnerable to attack — but it also builds trust. Trust is worth it.