Greenwood Community Grows with Moral Courage

Greenwood welcomed Professor Irshad Manji, CEO of Moral Courage, on September 25 to connect with staff, students, parents/guardians and board members about discussing polarizing issues productively. 

The day began with a professional development session for Greenwood staff. All staff gathered in the Theatre for a highly energized workshop in which they learned together and role-played the essential skills of navigating a complex world by staying curious and creating common ground. 

Students participated in workshops during the day, Grade 10-12 students in the morning and Grade 7-9 students in the afternoon. During the workshops, Prof. Manji led them through the steps to manage conversations when emotions are high and perspectives differ, and students had the opportunity to practise. Many students remained after each session to continue the conversation with Prof. Manji.

Prof. Manji also met with smaller groups throughout the day, including student leaders, the Leadership Team (consisting of Directors and members of the Senior Leadership Team) and, at the end of the day, several board members.

Reflecting on her packed day at Greenwood, Prof. Manji said the Greenwood community embodies what she considers to be the pillar of pluralism: the courage to be curious.

“Greenwood students are living, breathing proof of the school's commitment to building a culture in which people are championed to ask brave questions and explore different viewpoints,” she said. “That's the path to future-readiness.”

To kick off Curriculum Night, Prof. Manji presented again to our community in Greenwood’s first event of the 2025-2026 Parent/Guardian Speaker Series. During this presentation, she spoke about the importance of helping teens develop the skills they need to live and work in a world where we need to resist labeling, listen to learn, and appreciate differences. 

Her approaches are concrete, and the skills of being curious and listening to learn are ones we will continue to apply throughout the year in our commitment to pluralism, belonging, and community. It is our diverse identities, beliefs and thoughts that can bring us together.