What is the Appropriate Response?

As social media has placed McKinney, Texas on the forefront of a raging debate regarding excessive use of force and minorities I would like to ask a question.  What is the appropriate response?  Don’t misunderstand the question.  I am not asking what the officer’s appropriate response should have been, nor the children’s, but rather how should we respond as Educators and Parents? 

What can we say to our students and our children that will give them the wisdom they need to remain safe, respect authority, but still be socially conscious and aware?

Surprisingly the answer to that question has not changed.  For generations parents, teachers and community members have worked together to ensure continued open communication and to build bridges of trust.  We must go back to seeking to understand first and then work to be understood.  We must train the young people in our community to use wisdom and recognize the role of authority in all of its forms.  We must make sure that those in positions of power are not abusing that power based on a personal agenda.  We must always monitor our progress and be prepared to make changes when what we are doing is not working. Self-awareness and self-examination personally, professionally, individually, and collectively are critical not only to our success, but to our survival.

Be Blessed,

Nadrian