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Talking politics
Polite political talk? You can do it with these easy tips
Dear Abby advises that we avoid religion and politics for polite conversation topics. Sometimes we have to break the rules.
We’ve learned the hard way that politics rules our professional lives. A politician’s vote can establish the curriculum we teach, the food we serve, or the amount of money our school district will get.
In this crucial political year, we’re the best ambassadors for public education and for our students. If we don’t take the opportunity to insert politics and education into our conversations, who will?
Keeping political talk a conversation, rather than a confrontation, is easy. Just keep these guidelines in mind:
- Keep your focus on education issues. It’s what you know best.
- Know the issues and how candidates feel about them. Solid facts or personal experience are more persuasive than emotion.
- Respect the other person’s political position. They’re entitled to have one different than yours.
- It’s not what you say but how you say it. You don’t want to ruin the chances of ever having a civil conversation with this person again just because of your tone.
- Let educating others be your goal. If you enter every conversation with the idea of changing someone’s mind, you may be disappointed.
We can’t afford to pass up any opportunity to influence the vote of our colleagues, our friends, our family or our neighbors. Our futures and those of our students are at stake.
And that’s the message we need to convey every chance we get.