Southwest Regional Board member and Spring Branch ISD Administrator Linda Buchman received praise, applause, and two books at this month’s board meeting for leading a national webinar for ADL entitled: THE DECEMBER DILEMMA: NAVIGATING RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 

The webinar explored religious freedom issues and provided tools that could help educators create a school environment respecting different points of view, religious beliefs, and practices. 

Linda said she told participants in the webinar some of the things she learned as a mother with children in school, and as a school administrator.  She said empathy was important, whether you were a parent, educator, or administrator, and indicated it could go a long way toward achieving and sustaining mutual understanding.  She also said she learned from the webinar experience that national office staff members exhibit “incredible professionalism and expertise that backs us up at the regional level. 

Linda received rave reviews and two books for leading the webinar:  Bullied, by Carrie Goldman, and Sticks and Stones, by Emily Bazelon.