The Ecology of our Values

Author: Tim Nuttall

What is good? What is right? What is wrong? What includes, what excludes? Who are included, who are excluded? What are the norms, and should they be questioned? Where are the institutional blind spots and coded silences? How does language – the words we use – convey the values expressed? How is human dignity respected and affirmed? How is this dignity undermined and broken down?

South African society is abuzz with such questions, relating across the spectrum from the conduct of our country’s president, to our political parties, the corporate world, civil society, religious organisations, schools, and everyday interactions.

It is right and proper, at this time of South African social ferment, that the community of St Stithians should be reflecting on our values and what they mean. Having responsibility for the custodianship of our values, it is appropriate that I – as the Rector – should be leading and requiring this reflection. Special attention was given to St Stithians values at last term’s meeting of the College’s Strategic Planning Group (the Heads and Deputy Heads of the Schools and Campus Departments), of the St Stithians College Council (governing body), and my Rector Connect open meeting with parents. This term, the Strategic Planning Group will experience a workshop on Conscious and Unconscious Cultural Biases.

Such conversations about values in the upper levels of the College’s governance and executive committees are also taking place in school PTAs (Parent Teacher Associations), school Transformation and Diversity Committees, and among student leaders.

The ‘values space’ can helpfully be understood as an ‘ecology’, a life system. Values inform and shape the St Stithians life system: what we say and do, how we make choices, our being and relating.  Ecology is, by definition, not a ‘list’ of attributes – it is an organic, relational space. An ecology is multi-layered and multi-dimensional: St Stithians for sure! Values which underpin life and living are positive not negative, values which create not destroy, affirm not deny, welcome not alienate, and values which provide purpose and relationship. The prism of positive values should be our focus.

Values exist and grow not in a vacuum, but in the soil and fabric of human society. Values occupy contested spaces and exist in dissonance. There are ‘good values’ and ‘bad values’. All behaviour flows from a value proposition; it cannot be value-less. It is, therefore, critical that St Stithians is clear about the values we stand for. It is also important to act with the understanding that values are reinforced through articulation (thinking and saying what they are) and lived experience (doing what we say). In a school environment, the role-modelling of adults in a child’s world has a marked impact. Schools are the contested and intersecting zones of potentially competing value propositions of peers, teachers, parents and other adult role models.

A focus on values challenges us to ‘do what is right’, to ‘walk the talk’. Both for individuals and for collectives, values are a critical aspect of becoming who we are – shaping identity, behaviour, choices and priorities. Values are accompanied by expectations of defined behaviour; they are more profound than rules. Living out values may require courage. When there is values alignment, there is ‘happy fulfilment’ and the outflow of positive energy.

We can draw inspiration from Philippians 4 verse 8: ‘Finally, brothers and sister, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.’

The Stithians College Statement of Intent and Purpose is a succinct expression of our core values, rooted in our identity as a Methodist Church School embracing our Honour Code and Saints Character. The Statement of Intent concludes: ‘St Stithians College is committed to the positive transformation and development of South African society. We seek to embrace ubuntu, to be One and All.’ This injunction causes us to ask questions about inherited norms in our school, as we prepare for a future which is different from our past and present.

Honour God, Honour Others, Honour Self is based on the injunction of Jesus to ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:37-39).

Our Saints Character goes on to challenge our staff and students to ‘Know myself. Be myself. Make my contribution’ – an affirmation of dignity, self-expression and worth. This language is reinforced by the human rights clauses of the South African constitution.

Each school in the College of seven schools has a responsibility to articulate and live out the core values of St Stithians, and the same responsibility lies with the Campus Departments. Doing so requires both articulation and ‘walking the talk’. The importance of last term’s meeting of the Strategic Planning Group in the botanical gardens was that we re-freshed our articulation and expectations. We concluded that, whilst there are – and should be – school-specific expressions of our values, these always need to be under the ‘tree canopy’ of our Honour Code, Saints Character, and our Statement of Intent and Purpose.