HOW DO WE HANDLE OUR DISAGREEMENTS?

Disagreements are good. Differing points of view are healthy for any organization or group. Conflicting ideas provide a broader view of the situation and more potential possibilities. You see more sides of the problem and generate more potential solutions. Questioning new ideas or proposals allows them to be fully vetted. This is how programs, policies, schools, institutions, and teacher preparation programs grow and evolve.

Embracing a variety of ideas, philosophies, and viewpoints has always been healthy. Repressing conflicting ideas, allowing only a single viewpoint has always led to extremely unhealthy situations. Sadly, idea repression occurs too often in societies, religious organizations, churches, political groups, schools, and yes, even in universities. Imagine that. And nothing good ever comes from this. Uniformity creates a stagnant unhealthy petri dish.

Uniformity is Not Possible

As well, it is not humanly possible to have complete uniformity of thought. Even in the most regimented group, military organization, religious order, sect, or church - people have slightly differing views on things. And even people in groups who try to follow a literal interpretation of a religious doctrine or holy book, or originalists who strive to understand the constitution based on the original understanding, have slightly different interpretations. The only case in which you would find uniformity of thought would be if you project all moral and intellectual authority onto a leader or group and pledged blind allegiance. But here, you would be giving up part of your humanity.