Okay, I went down a rabbit hole over the past few days. As is always with me, these ideas are not well-formed, and I want to share them with you as they percolate in my brain. I do believe this discussion is relevant to the future of public education, so please keep on reading!

All of these thoughts come from Redeeming Democracy in America by Wilson Carey McWilliams.

Understanding Trust and Faith

Let’s think about truth and faith. To begin with, let’s not think of faith in terms of a religious faith. As a matter of fact, let’s help define faith by studying trust.

Trust is behavior-driven. When we say, “I trust you,” we place the responsibility on the other person or institution to prove their trustworthiness through specific actions or behaviors. Trust focuses on conduct and outcomes, often breaking relationships into measurable components. For example, trust might hinge on meeting deadlines, achieving test scores, or adhering to protocols. It is transactional, placing the burden of proof on the person or organization being evaluated.

Faith, in contrast, is relational and holistic. When we say, “I have faith in you,” it reflects a belief in the person’s character or potential, independent of their immediate actions. Faith acknowledges the whole person—their values, intentions, and capacity for growth. Unlike trust, which scrutinizes individual parts, faith sees the bigger picture and embraces the complexity of human beings and systems.As the author states, “Trust, in other words, is a relation between separate persons with distinct interests, concerned with conduct, not conscience.” (p.109)

Faith, on the other hand, is based on who you are, not what you do. Faith says as much about the person giving the faith …”I have faith in you.” as it does about the person “receiving” the faith. In this case, faith sees into the future because I presume you will do well. My faith in you is based on who you are, not what you do.

If a person fails to live up to another person’s faith in them, judgment goes beyond individual action, and more grace is given because of this. Rather, when told someone has faith in you, what they are saying is that they see you as a whole person, not as an atomized person whose parts are more important than the entire whole. 

Faith’s viewpoint is about looking at the whole, while trust’s viewpoint is about the individual parts.

So here is where my head goes when I apply my thinking to public education and public institutions.

The Problem with Trust-Driven AccountabilitySchools are asked to be “trustworthy.” At first blush, this seems to be a sensible request. Here is where things get murky…

The way schools are being asked to be trustworthy creates a situation where schools will be viewed as untrustworthy.

Remember from above that when someone (or something) demands trust, they are really looking at a specific behavior. They are not looking at the whole. In public education, we have dozens of interest groups placing their trust in schools and demanding that schools meet each one of their individual, specific requirements for trust.

They want to see the trees, not the forest.

If the individual tree in which they are concerned looks ill, then they believe the entire system, the forest, is a failure. This is a failure based on a definition of trust where individual actions in a small, discreet subset of the whole determine success. 

Remember, trust is about an object (in this case schools) having to “prove” trustworthiness.  Often, the measuring of individual trustworthiness creates a situation where the school is like a dog chasing its tail over dozens of different actions to prove trustworthiness. The stakeholders “giving” trust do not feel an obligation to help the school succeed since they look at only behaviors (often measured by test scores or other “objective” criteria.

Let’s Have Faith About Our Schools

What if, instead of demanding trust, stakeholders approached schools with faith? Faith requires us to look at the whole system and acknowledge its complexity. It recognizes that schools are not merely collections of data points but dynamic ecosystems shaped by the contributions of students, teachers, families, and leaders.

Faith invites stakeholders to become active participants in the system’s success. Instead of isolating problems and assigning blame, faith encourages collaboration and grace. When faith is placed in a school, it reflects a belief in its mission, its people, and its potential for growth—even when individual metrics fall short. It shifts the focus from transactional evaluation to meaningful engagement.

Practical Steps for School Leaders

Here’s how we can cultivate faith in our schools and communities:

1. Communicate the Bigger Picture Regularly share your school’s vision and how each initiative contributes to the broader mission. Help stakeholders see beyond isolated metrics and understand how individual efforts build a thriving system.
2. Foster Relationships Over Transactions Engage with stakeholders on a deeper level. Host listening sessions, build partnerships, and encourage meaningful dialogue that prioritizes relationships over data.
3. Model Grace and Holistic Thinking When mistakes happen, approach them with grace and use them as opportunities for learning. Celebrate progress and innovation, even when outcomes are not perfect.
4. Involve Stakeholders in the Process Invite parents, community members, and staff to actively participate in decision-making and problem-solving. When stakeholders are part of the journey, they’re more likely to invest faith in the system as a whole.
5. Lead with Authenticity Be transparent about challenges and successes. Authenticity builds credibility and encourages others to see the school as a living, evolving entity worthy of faith.