Important aspects of faculty trust and school climate are identified and examined in this empirical study of middle schools. In general, openness in interpersonal relationships promotes trust among teachers, and interpersonal trust seems to foster openness in organizational relationships. The openness-trust relationship, however, is more complex than it seems at first blush, and the results of this research explain some of the subtleties of the relationship and suggest some strategies for developing a culture of trust in middle schools.
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