Quaker Decision Making

Quaker Decision Making

The Quaker approach to communal decision weights each and every community member’s voice equally, and no decision is made without opportunity for input by all. This is not an expedient means for determining a course of action. Listening deeply to one another and working to understand various, even opposing, viewpoints is often tedious work. Yet once a “sense of the meeting” is reached, once all members are comfortable in moving forward, members of the community do so confidently knowing that all concerns, dissenting voices, and the potentially disaffected minority in a voting system have been heard and their thoughts have been incorporated into the final decision. The decision-making process is then a truly collaborative and inclusive experience.

For Friends, it is imperative to remain open to truths that are not readily apparent, truths that may only be revealed by a single voice. The Quaker decision-making process assures that just one person can “stand in the way” of a course of action if they feel moved to do so. This is the voice of truth and righteousness that is often drowned out by “group think,” popularity, the majority, and sometimes even laws. This is the voice of Moses, of Jesus, of Susan B. Anthony, of Mahatma Gandhi, of Rosa Parks, of Martin Luther King, Jr., of Malala Yousafzai, and of Mother Teresa. It is also the voice of a sixth-grade student in Middle School Business Meeting and the voice of a first-year teacher in faculty meeting. In Quaker decision-making, remaining open to new understanding, often referred to as “continuing revelation,” and valuing the truths each voice has to reveal to us assures that, once made, decisions are wisely informed and shared by all.

Meeting for Business is held monthly in both middle and upper school and provides an opportunity for student voice and to practice Quaker decision-making with issues that are relevant to the school community. The Business Meeting is a unique and powerful opportunity for students themselves to develop agenda for and “clerk” or guide the student body through a collective, consensus-based decision-making process.

“Simplicity is playing and liking nature and being simple. a hug is simple. nature is simple. The end.” ~ WFS First Grader

“I like having a shared space to talk about life and listen to others.” ~ WFS Middle Schooler

Meeting for Worship is attended weekly by all students, from preschoolers to seniors. Students meet as a whole division (lower, middle, or upper school), by grade level, in advisory groups, or in mixed-grade-level groups. In lower school, teachers often read a story connected to the testimonies in preparation for Meeting. Middle school students practice centering and calming themselves in order to sit still and listen, sometimes using play dough, coloring, or labyrinths to keep the wandering part of their minds engaged.

In Meeting for Worship for Singing, middle or upper school students may choose to sing in a worshipful way – allowing for silence between songs. In upper school, the students on the Quaker Life committee and those who have participated in a nationwide Quaker Youth Leadership Conference are responsible for guiding the Meeting. Upper school students also develop queries and thoughtful and creative approaches for small groups. Alumni frequently remark that they highly value the positive role of simple reflective silence during their days at Friends.