If you're worried about campus protests...

This is one is especially for the boarding school crowd

Hi all!

Yes, it is Tuesday, not Friday!

I’m leaving for a two week vacation and originally I was going to try and get everything prepped and scheduled to send so there would be Talking Out of Schools the next two Fridays. And then I ended up having a lot of other stuff to do - which is great, not complaining! - but I thought, why rush to get a few posts out when it’s May and everyone is so busy, anyway?

And then several subscribers sent me university president letters about the recent protests asking for my take. So I figured I’d pass on a few words today before I head out if you’re concerned about any protests bubbling up on your campuses over graduation and link to a few examples of university president communications. I’m assuming you’re not dealing with any exact analogues, but it is interesting to see the different tones and type of reasoning and information shared with the community.

And then next week - no TOOS. Back on the 24th with part two of my interview with fundraising expert Hilary Wirtz on capital campaign readiness.

Before I get to the letters, here’s the general advice I would offer about potential protests. I’m assuming given the nature of our institutions, none of you are dealing with the encampment problem but I’m sure the potential for disruptive protest at our more cherished culminating rituals has crossed minds.

• Be on the alert and try to read the tea leaves. Ask adults to have their antennas up.

• If you hear of anything, try to be proactive and open to dialogue. School leaders can engage the student activists and treat them with respect and candor. Use empathy to make them feel heard and discuss options for productive and constructive ways to engage in campus activism. Remembering what it was like to feel young and passionate helps, and what it would have felt like to be taken seriously by an adult in authority. And if you’re the head, you can work with your other admins who are more student facing, but remember in terms of de-escalation, there is nothing more powerful than the attention of the head of school.