Dear Friends Families,
The days since the presidential election have been weighty ones for all of us. You should know that our primary concern this week has, of course, been the well-being of your children. The care our teachers have shown for our children, even as they themselves have been sorting out their own complicated responses to recent developments, has been admirable, though not surprising. Knowing this extraordinary group of educators as I do, I was certain that their nurturing instincts and their generosity of spirit would lead them to put our children at the forefront, as they invariably do.
Friends School, as an institution, does not and should not take positions on strictly political matters. To do so would diminish our critical ability to be a forum within which ideas - political and otherwise- can flow freely and students can learn to decide for themselves how they should feel, act, and live in the world. We do, though - and always will - take firm and unequivocal stands in the realm of morals and values. Implicitly, through our identity as a Quaker school, and explicitly, in our public statements and materials, we have made the promise to you that your children’s experiences at Friends will be guided by our fundamental beliefs; chief among them that there is that of God in everyone. Living out this conviction makes it impossible to steer entirely clear of the political sphere, especially when particular political policies, positions or rhetoric contradict our values. In such instances, we reflect upon the events around us from a moral standpoint that honors and acknowledges our values, independent of political or partisan affiliations. In striving to maintain this distinction, we have made frequent reference before and since the election to our Statement of Respect, in which we express those core values and what they demand of us when faced with behavior and language that is incompatible with them. We have used this objective set of standards to clarify for ourselves and for our students what respectful words and actions do and don’t look like, independent of party affiliations or political beliefs.
Our Statement of Respect reads,
At Friends School of Baltimore, our Quaker values and commitment to being an inclusive and constructive learning environment compel us to uphold the dignity of all individuals at all times. We practice George Fox’s belief that there is “that of God in everyone,” and hold ourselves accountable for the intention and impact of our behavior and speech. Friends School opposes and actively addresses hurtful language and behavior, especially that which demeans or discriminates based on race, ethnicity, ability, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age or any attributes of identity. We believe that such acts are harmful to individuals, divisive within our community and corrosive to society. Friends School engages in open dialogue, embraces diverse perspectives, and celebrates difference. We also insist that all discourse, however controversial or well-intended, must always be respectful in tone, in content and, ultimately, must support the Quaker value of inclusivity.
The presidential campaign that recently closed has, for more months than most of us would care to remember, been rife with words and actions that have flagrantly violated these expectations. We have seen innumerable instances of hurtful language and behavior that was plainly designed to do exactly what we have pledged in this statement to oppose and actively address. Needless to say, that which is unacceptable within our community is no less so when it occurs on a larger stage. And sadly we have already seen evidence that these appeals to the lesser angels of our nature - the calls for violence, the vehement intolerance, the demeaning comments, and the language and proposals that operate on assumptions of the unworthiness of entire groups based on race, ethnicity, ability, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age or … attributes of identity - have proven themselves harmful to individuals … and corrosive to society. The campaign itself and the results of the election appear to have normalized and legitimized some beliefs that are anathema to the values we espouse as a community. In such circumstances, we are led to reaffirm those core values in unequivocal terms.
Every member of our community deserves to know that even as the words and actions of prominent figures pull us in a different direction, we as a school stand firmly behind our commitment to uphold the dignity of all individuals at all times. It is particularly critical, we believe, to provide this reassurance to those who have been the focus of the most caustic rhetoric in recent months - people of color, immigrants, Muslims, LGBTQ individuals, the disabled, women, and others - and are therefore fearful of what lies ahead. To the extent that any person, whether a member of our community or a national political figure, speaks or acts in a manner that fails to live up to these standards, we reserve the right to oppose and actively address that behavior. To do so is not to take sides in a partisan political struggle, but merely to remain true to the values our school has espoused for more than 230 years. To do otherwise is an abrogation of the commitment we have made to our students, our families, and ourselves that Friends School will, in the words of our Mission Statement, strive in all (our) programs, policies and affairs to be an institution that exemplifies the ideals of the Religious Society of Friends. Should these standards render our community unique or run counter to the prevailing political culture, we will be proudly unique and countercultural and will seek to remain so.
At the same time, we will continue to engage in open dialogue, embrace diverse perspectives, and celebrate difference, all while insisting that the discourse… must always be respectful in tone, in content and, ultimately, must support the Quaker value of inclusivity. We reject the notion that living by these expectations will somehow silence certain voices or stifle the free flow of ideas. Our insistence upon discourse that is both vigorous and civil is in keeping with the beliefs stated in our School Philosophy, namely that, (t) he search for truth requires a willingness to listen openly to the ideas of others, even in fields of controversy. We remain passionately committed to this practice of careful and respectful listening across political and social divides, a practice that is more essential than ever before in these fractious times.
I have heard many comments from colleagues and parents who are grateful to have had the firm grounding of our community's values under their feet in the midst of these events. I was heartened, throughout the week, to see the care and concern that our students have consistently demonstrated for each other. In these small acts of kindness, your children drew upon the qualities that we, together with you, have tried so hard to foster in them; compassion, resilience, and a genuine desire to understand one another across the divides that sometimes separate us. During these past few days, I have found myself feeling deeply appreciative that I am part of such a thoughtful and reflective community, one that strives so earnestly to live up to its beliefs and commitments.
My colleagues and I thank you for entrusting your children to our care and welcome your comments, questions, and partnership as we move forward.
Best wishes,
Matt Micciche
Head of School
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