Standing Together as a Force for Good

Sep4

American Society for Public Administration President Paul Danczyk has released the following statement.

Words matter. Individuals entrusted to uphold the public good—be they our elected leaders, political appointees or civil servants—have an obligation to model appropriate behavior. As social, print and electronic media have demonstrated in recent days, there is much more work to be done.

Language appealing to society’s worst instincts, words that demean our elected representatives and civil servants, and bullying behavior impact us all. They undermine the principles in which our governing institutions are grounded. And, they do not reflect ASPA’s mission, code of ethics and core values of social equity, professionalism, ethics and performance and accountability. We do our work to support those whom we serve: all members of society.

The key to effective leadership is being a good person. We know a lot of what that means and how it should look. At times, we forget or intentionally ignore practicing what we preach. Public outbursts help us remember the difference.

We must be ready to speak out and take action any time we encounter racist statements, bullying or demeaning behavior and counter it with inclusive actions within our public organizations, workplaces, academic settings and communities.

ASPA stands with all of those in public service, both elected officials and career professionals. We encourage you to stand with those you serve, represent and teach—especially those who cannot stand for themselves. Together, we can model appropriate behavior and improve our world for everyone. American Society for Public Administration
1730 Rhode Island Ave., NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036

ASPA
1730 Rhode Island Ave., NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036

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