Flashpoints are the new normal—heads of school are being asked to respond to incivility in the classroom and events off campus. Flashpoints come from many different actors (e.g., schools themselves, third-party organizations or activists, and faculty, staff, or students) and span a wide range of issues.
Underpreparing for or mismanaging a response carries significant consequences for advancement and enrollment at independent schools. Left unchecked or poorly addressed, flashpoints negatively impact the student experience, overwhelm staff and resources, and ultimately affect a school’s reputation and ability to make progress on key initiatives.
EAB recommends that schools prepare for flashpoints as part of their risk mitigation practices, create structures to consistently respond and prepare for risk, and that they use flashpoints as learning opportunities. Review these three key areas to get started.
This resource is part of the Promote a Culture of Civility on Independent School Campuses Roadmap. Access the Roadmap for stepwise guidance with additional tools and research.
What is a flashpoint?
An incident or event that causes a disturbance in the school community or media, including heightened levels of activism, media and public scrutiny, and reputational damage.
1. Include flashpoints in your school’s risk register and create plans to mitigate these potential risks
Most schools track and manage financial, operational, and compliance-related risks. However, reputational risks are sometimes overlooked. Integrating these risks into your school’s risk register and preparing appropriate risk response plans prompts earlier action to alleviate the impact of flashpoints.
2. Create structures to consistently prepare for and respond to incivility in the classroom
There are several essential elements of effective flashpoint responses. Create plans to respond to potential flashpoints and convene a dedicated team to ensure your school has the structure, oversight, and processes to rapidly and holistically respond to emerging flashpoints. This enables your school to be ready to address the varied and disruptive flashpoints that could occur.
3. Learn from each flashpoint to strengthen campus response
Despite best efforts, flashpoints can and will still occur. When used as learning opportunities, flashpoints prompt schools to ask important questions about their response to such events and then determine whether any additional action, training, or support is required. Create opportunities to learn from such events so your school can be better prepared to respond to incivility in the classroom that impact the community in the future.
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