Because spirituality connects us to the most profound realities of life it has an integral role to play in education. Public education and spirituality as distinct from the teaching of or expression of religion, are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, spirituality is both epistemological and ontological. It constitutes one of many legitimate ways of knowing. Hence, I argue that it is incumbent upon educators in public schools to connect what we teach to the multiple lived realities of children. This requires the educational leader to become aware of his or her own spirituality, to become open to the spirituality of others, and to create spaces— liberating conversations—in which participants can bring the totality of their lived experiences.
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