Guidance for K-12 Schools When Selecting Guest Speakers

Selecting Guest Speakers for Your School Community

Guidance for K-12 Schools 

Selecting guest speakers that align with your school’s values is critical for fostering a respectful, open-minded, and intellectually enriching school environment. Challenges faced by institutions and organizations, such as those recently at NAIS, demonstrate the importance of careful and informed decision-making when inviting speakers. 

To support schools in navigating this process, American Jewish Committee (AJC) Center for Education Advocacy offers the following guidelines to assist schools, which are rooted in best pedagogical practices and a commitment to inclusivity. While this guidance was crafted with an eye toward speakers who either address or have controversial opinions on matters pertaining to Jews, Jewish identity, Israel, and/or antisemitism, these practices can be applied to guest speakers on any topic.

Guiding Questions to Consider Before Issuing the Invite:

• What is the desired learning outcome? How will the speaker contribute to the intellectual growth of students, faculty, or the school community? Does the speaker have controversial views that might distract from your school’s purpose for bringing in the speaker?
• What is the speaker's message? Does the speaker bring a unique and important voice or perspective that is relevant to the curriculum or mission of the school? How does the speaker fit within the mosaic of speakers visiting the school?
• Will the event encourage critical thinking? While an effective speaker might offer one particular perspective on an issue, they should also inspire nuanced conversation. Speakers should not espouse “cancel culture” or engage in rhetoric that demonizes any group, ethnicity, race, or religion. 

Conduct Comprehensive Research: Thoroughly vet all potential speakers to ensure their credibility, alignment with the school's values, and appropriateness for the audience.

• Review their record: Examine the speaker’s past engagements, publications, and social media presence. If available, watch interviews with the speaker or talks given by the speaker on platforms like YouTube. Be particularly mindful of the following:
  1. trivialization or denial of Jewish connection to Israel or antisemitism;
  2. support of anti-Israel boycotts that may cross into antisemitic rhetoric;
  3. conflation of Zionism with racism or white supremacy; and/or
  4. perpetuation of conspiracy myths, such as endorsing the idea of undue Jewish influence or "dual loyalty.”
• Scrutinize language used regarding Israel: Be cautious of speakers who inaccurately frame Israel or its policies using inflammatory and misleading terms such as "genocide" or "apartheid" without providing historical or legal context. These terms can oversimplify complex geopolitical realities, contribute to harmful stereotypes, and create a hostile environment for Jewish students. Instead, prioritize speakers who approach such topics with nuance and encourage thoughtful, evidence-based discussion.
• Avoid extremist or outlying views: Avoid tokenizing the speaker or their identity. It is crucial to determine whether the speaker represents a mainstream or a fringe perspective of a minority group. For example, selecting an anti-Zionist Jew as the sole representative of Jewish views on Jewish identity, Israel, or antisemitism is problematic given the fact that a strong majority (80%) of Jews report that connection with Israel is important to their Jewish identity and a strong majority (85%) of Jews see denying Israel’s right to exist as antisemitic.

Partner with Reputable Organizations: Collaborate with trusted organizations, academic institutions, and think tanks to identify knowledgeable and credible speakers who can provide balanced, nuanced, and educational perspectives.

• Scholarly and/or expert understanding: Partner with reputable organizations or scholars who provide relevant expertise on the specific issues being addressed, ensuring the topic is handled thoughtfully and accurately. AJC’s Center for Education Advocacy can provide specific guidance as to particular organizations and/or scholars.
• Support for constructive dialogue: Collaborate with organizations and scholars who advance the value of healthy discourse and encourage respectful, evidence-based discussions.
• Partner with the Jewish community: Involve local Jewish organizations, Jewish community leaders, or Jewish parent leaders in your school community to help guide the selection of speakers and resources. Their support ensures accuracy and sensitivity in the portrayal of Jewish identity, history, and current events.

Provide Pre- and Post-Event Context: Thoughtful preparedness can maximize the educational impact of guest speakers.

• Prepare the school community: Share articles, videos, or background materials with students and faculty to provide information about the speaker and their topic, and ensure the audience is prepared to engage thoughtfully.
• Establish expectations: Review and articulate clearly expectations and norms for students and faculty to adhere to during the speaker’s program.
• Facilitate discussions: Facilitate follow-up discussions where students can reflect on the speaker’s message, ask questions, and explore how the content applies to their own experiences or studies.
• Evaluate: Conduct a post-event evaluation to gather both positive and critical feedback on the speaker, helping inform future decisions about similar programs.

Plan for Community Engagement and Feedback: Prepare to address any community concerns by engaging with stakeholders, explaining speaker selections, and gathering feedback to inform future decisions.

• Transparent communication: Communicate openly with members of the school community, including students, faculty, and parents about upcoming speakers, including an explanation of the educational purpose for the speaker. Address feedback and concerns respectfully and transparently to foster trust within the community.
• Debrief the community: Publicly share outcomes or learnings from the event to reinforce the goals for bringing in the speaker.

Conclusion: 
Educator Linda Darling-Hammond says that educating for democracy means that "we educate people in a way that ensures they can think independently, that they can use information, knowledge, and technology, among other things, to draw their own conclusions." Thoughtful speaker selection is critical to meeting the educational goals of your school community. By adhering to these guidelines, schools can navigate potential challenges, encourage respectful discourse, and provide students with meaningful opportunities for growth.

For further assistance or to consult with AJC, please contact the Center for Education Advocacy at [email protected].