All family’s beliefs and values will be respected, and we will not infringe on the right of the
parent to pass along their own beliefs to their child. The adults in the environment will remain
neutral in their beliefs and present factual information to the children, not initiating
conversations on controversial discussions. If a child comes with questions, we are a
source of information and will happily respond in a simple and factual way. Child initiated
vs. teacher initiated is very different and we welcome child-initiated questions on any
subject.
- Religion- We will not promote one religion over the other or discuss religion with the
children. That is the parent’s responsibility based on their beliefs. We will focus on
the seasons rather than religious Holidays. If a child asks questions about what we
believe then we can turn it back and say, “what do you think?”, For example, if a child
asks, “Do you celebrate Easter”, you can turn it back and ask the child if they do
without giving our response. If a child asks what happens after their dog dies, you can
tell them that that’s a really great question for your parents and they would be happy
to answer it. You can also focus on the life cycle and start a conversation on that.
Books should represent all types of people without the focus of it being religious. For
example, a book with people portrayed with headscarves, or a religious symbol as a
pendant, but with the focus being on another subject, is a good way to represent all
people without promoting one religion over the other. - Gender Identity- We will not promote one way of thinking over another and not
introduce the concept of transgender or non-binary, and all that encompasses it, to
the children. That is the responsibility of the parents to do so if they see fit and how
they see fit. Adults in the classroom will call each child by their gender based on their
anatomy and what is assigned at birth, or what their parent requests. Adults will also
provide factual information (you have a penis; you have a vagina). Adults are
expected to break down gender stereotypes and not have any expectations of the
children because of gender; rather, accept the child however they want to be for that
moment, but give them space to develop their sense of self without the adults
labeling or planting the idea of choosing their own gender. For example, if a boy wants
to wear a dress, that’s ok! It is part of their development to explore their identity and
we will give them all the space and acceptance to do so without encouraging them
one way or the other.Books should represent all types of people within them without introducing a
conversation about gender identity. Books that are specifically created for the
conversation of gender identity will be left to the parents to read (if they see fit) and
are not to be in the classroom. Our purpose is to create an environment for the child
without gender stereotypes and allow them to explore their identity unhindered. If a
child asks questions, we are a source of information and can answer factually and
simply. For example, if a child points to someone depicted as non-binary in a book
and asks if it is a boy or girl you can respond, “I don’t know, we can’t really tell”. Any
questions about what is or is not acceptable at our school can be discussed with the
Head of School for further clarification. - Social/Political Movements- All social and political movements have no place in our
classroom. We have a myriad of cultures and beliefs, and our school will remain
neutral by not promoting one group of thinking over the other. Some examples of this
would be making sure there is no political conversations amongst the adults.
Our school is a traditional AMI Montessori school and that is where our focus will lie. We
will represent every kind of person within our books without the adult initiating discussions
about controversial topics that may or may not align with each family’s belief system. Our
goal is to respect each family and simply remain neutral. Adults are strong, developed
personalities. Children are delicate, unfolding personalities. It is easy to impose one’s
adult personality on the child. The child is a natural observer. We will withdraw and recede
to allow the child room to find and develop his or her own personality without us promoting
one way of thinking over another.