Life at MA

By Luella Shepard ‘26 in Fall 2024

This fall, a panel of speakers came to our assembly to share their political views and encourage student engagement in politics and voting. While the panel aimed to present a variety of political perspectives, many students objected, claiming it was skewed heavily toward liberal views–the “Republican” perspective was actually a Democrat from Texas. The assembly raised important questions among students about the representation of diverse political opinions within both the Marin Academy community and education curriculum.

Feedback from a poll I conducted among MA students highlights this concern. One student articulated the sentiment, stating, “There is really only one perspective that is allowed to be shared at MA... I don't understand why [my perspective] is not heard because I am very accepting and understanding of other perspectives, but that is not reciprocated.” This student’s experience is reflected in the greater MA population. When rating their comfortability with sharing political and social views at MA on a scale from 1 to 10 (with one being not comfortable at all, and ten being no hesitation to share), the average response was a 5.3. Of the 70 students which responded, 9 placed their experience at a 1, which demonstrates that nearly 1 in 7 poll respondents feel very uncomfortable sharing their political opinions. This data is alarming, illustrating an issue that has been labeled taboo for too long.

Given Marin Academy’s diversity and inclusion commitment, which pledges to create a safe and welcoming environment for all students, it is crucial to address the exclusionary culture present in classrooms that can silence conservative perspectives. Several students noted feeling isolated and frustrated that their views weren’t well received by peers. One students' response really struck me: “I’m silencing my own voice just to fit in or avoid conflict.” Another student described their experience as “walking on eggshells.”

“I’m silencing my own voice just to fit in”

Upon my own reflection, I came to the conclusion that without disagreement, we risk being confined to a single viewpoint, limiting our opportunities to determine our own beliefs.  Despite being a school that teaches so much about breaking down stereotypes and giving everyone a voice, we have adopted a harmful generalization that every aspect of Republican politics is inherently bad. There is a persistent and dismissive attitude toward lifestyle choices stereotypically associated with Republicans, such as practicing Christian faiths, that leads to writing off or even mocking people connected to any of the former.

Especially following the recent election, I know this message may rub some people the wrong way. I want to make it clear that I do not mean to promote the sharing of racist, sexist, homophobic, or otherwise hurtful political or social views. I simply encourage everyone to embrace disagreement, engage in authentic discussions, and practice listening to learn, not listening to win. As young people in this current political climate, this skill will be ever important in our world beyond high school. Additionally, I hope teachers will support this cultural shift, and be accepting of students who want to question or challenge ideas enforced by the curriculum. It's up to all of us as a community to live up to the foundational ethos of MA, which is to question ideas, work collaboratively, and learn from each other to prepare for a future outside the classroom.