Dear NPS Students: Don't Let School Culture Shame You Out of Courage.
- PRN
- Sep 21
- 3 min read
Dear Natick Public School students:
How often has anyone at school ever told you that:
It's okay to be a patriot and love America (this is not white supremacy)
It's okay to oppose men competing in women's sports (this is not bigotry)
It's okay to like your culture and traditional norms (this is not oppression)
It's okay to have unfashionable opinions that upset your classmates (this is not hate)
It's okay to wear messages in school that reflect unpopular beliefs (this is not aggression)
The power of shaming
Chances are you've worried about wearing a shirt to school with a message that will cast you as an outsider or have been afraid to question ideas you are learning because your teacher will grade you poorly. Have you ever pretended to have the popular views of your peers so you don't lose friends? Does your school's curriculum or culture teach you that you must hold certain beliefs or you are not a kind person?
Shaming is a tactic often used in discourse and social environments to control people's behavior and manipulate public perception. It can take various forms including punishment, personal attacks, ridicule, and social ostracism. It's important to stand up to shaming to practice how to engage in a civilized society as well as preserve your health and happiness.
Any classmate, friend or adult who shames you for your beliefs is trying to instill fear in you and control your behavior. This tactic, whether conscious or unconscious, is likely to deter you from expressing your opinions or engaging in difficult debate. Shaming can also take the form of rallying supporters around a cause to create a sense of moral superiority and tribalism, casting you as an outsider. This can often feel like bullying (and it happens a lot on social media).
When you fear shaming, you may choose to remain silent, which stifles healthy debate and the exchange of ideas. The fear of being shamed can also have negative effects on your mental health.
The importance of courage
In the face of shaming tactics, it is critical for you to cultivate courage and stand firm in your beliefs. Here are three reasons why this is important:
Strengthens character and resolve: Standing up for your beliefs at school, despite potential backlash, will foster resilience and a strong sense of self in you.
Encourages others: When you demonstrate courage, it can inspire others to voice their opinions and engage in advocacy, creating a more vibrant democratic society.
Creates a supportive environment: By standing up to shaming, you can help shape a school environment where people feel safe to express their ideas and beliefs.
Shaming is a powerful weapon that can silence dissent, polarize society and negatively impact your need to live your values. Conforming to a group's actions or beliefs, even when they conflict with your personal values, can create dissonance. It is essential for you, as students and future thought leaders, to recognize this behavior and develop the courage to stand firm in your beliefs, question groupthink, and challenge what you are learning in the classroom.
In a vibrant school community, you should encounter and help bring to the classroom a multitude of beliefs, backgrounds, and opinions—even unpopular ones (and your teachers should encourage it, or shame on them!).
Remember, diversity does not mean conformity. The only person's beliefs you need to affirm are your own, and courage will help you do that in school and in life.
P.S. It's okay to wave the American flag (this is not political).
Will you also share this with other concerned Natick students and families?