Transparency
Russell B. Long said, "A government by secrecy benefits no one. It injures the people it seeks to serve; it damages its own integrity and operation. It breeds distrust, dampens the fervor of its citizens and mocks their loyalty." A lack of communication from a school district erodes the community's faith in its institution. Parents, teachers, and the community—to whom the district is duty-bound—expect a certain level of transparency, and it is imperative that the district meet these expectations.
Parents expect the well-being of their children to come first when attending school, including respecting student privacy and protecting the confidentiality of each child's personal information. To that end, parents expect openness and transparency from schools regarding actions against certified and classified staff, student discipline, classroom curriculum, data privacy policy and practices, and academic progress.
An educational system is only as perfect as the people who work within it. But people are fallible and prone to mistakes. The community at large does not expect perfection, knowing that perfection is unachievable; however, the community does expect competent leaders. When a mistake arises, a true leader will recognize the mishap, admit to stakeholders that the mishap occurred, and include reasonable details. That leader will then explain how they fixed the mishap, as well as how they will ensure the mishap does not transpire again. Too often, government institutions—including school districts and governing boards—would instead cover up and hide the mishap to preserve the false appearance of perfection and a spotless operation. Such "sweeping under the rug" is wholly and categorically inappropriate—it sows seeds of distrust, portrays an air of incompetency, sets a deplorable example for students, and undermines the faith of parents, students, staff, and the community. A school district that cannot accept and admit its faults is no community leader.
A school district and governing board must deliver frequent communication, reports, and easy-to-access data to ensure that parents are well-informed partners in the schools. Additionally, when a district openly shares information about the objectives, discussions, and rationale during the policy-making process, the district demonstrates its commitment to accountability. The school board must include all stakeholders in this process because community members can hold district administrators and board members accountable for their decisions and actions when they have access to such information. Such an environment promotes a culture of responsibility and integrity. Trust cannot exist without transparency, and an effective school board must be an advocate for transparency at all levels within the district.