Working and Building on Simpatico

Editor’s Note: The Teaching Tolerance Advisory Board gathered over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend in Montgomery, Ala. Board members offered insights and feedback on lessons, articles and other projects. A few board members shared their thoughts of that weekend. Read them here [2] and here [3].

I came to the first meeting of the Teaching Tolerance Advisory Board giddy with excitement, full of wonder, hope and pure idealism.

Through dinner, we listened intently to each other for hints of interests, objectives, convictions, passions and focus. We saw the realness of each individual emerge. We shared a purpose and vision in our task.

Later, as I watched and listened to Richard Cohen, president of the Southern Poverty Law Center, talk about what inspired Teaching Tolerance, the words became so real that, literally, hearts were moved and spirits united. Embarrassed to look around with tears in my eyes, someone touched my hand, I looked and saw it in eyes around me, Pain. We felt pain for the lives sacrificed and stolen for the injustices. We shared it. I believe within us, we were marching with all who had gone before us toward freedom, equality and justice.

On Saturday, we all assembled to get to work. It was an opportunity for me to serve and to give beyond myself toward efforts of anti-bias, anti-bullying, toward the work against hatred and oppresion of others. It is often difficult to bring together a group of perfect strangers from across the country to work in close proximity and actually accomplish something. But, for us, it was so natural.

As the day went on, despite the fatigue, we worked.

I delighted in working with articles for the magazine, experimenting with various scenarios, exploring the web site and evaluating the professional development materials in order to equip other educators to move forward. I wasn’t alone.

Words such as synergy, family, like-mindedness, single spirit, began to resonate among all of us. We all could see, feel and touch the work we had done, the emotions shared, the determination and commitment confirmed.

At the end of our time together, we said good-bye knowing it really would not be for long. And we are, all friends, all family working toward a common purpose, with a common vision and a common spirit—Teaching Tolerance to and for all.

Kelley is an elementary school principal in Alabama and member of the Teaching Tolerance Advisory Board.