June 5, 2020
Dear Friends,
Please read my statement below regarding diversity, equity and inclusion. After hearing impassioned alumni voices, I felt it important to share these thoughts. I hope you will also join us at 10 a.m. tomorrow for a live virtual forum to dialogue on this important topic. In addition, please expect a broad State of the School update on matters including COVID-19 response, reflections on the past school year and plans for the future. This comprehensive video report will be sent as an email preceding tomorrow's 10 a.m. Alumni Forum.
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WRA Community and beyond - Over the past few days I have been honored to listen to and learn from numerous members of our constituency. I am grateful to have engaged in meaningful dialogue with the alumni organizers of an online petition, with our students and faculty in Race Space conversations, and with everyone with whom I connected via phone, email, video conference and social media. I thank you for sharing your voices and for caring deeply enough to help Reserve and my leadership to grow.
In each conversation I have heard the need for action and accountability. Reserve has significant work to do. In sum, we can, we must, and we will do better.
On behalf of Western Reserve Academy, I apologize. I apologize for where our school has failed our constituents in words and action and for my shortcomings as a leader. You deserve more. Condemnation of hatred alone does not equate to evidence of initiatives to support anti-racist work nor does it exemplify institutional promotion of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Our practices of the past and that which we are doing now is not enough. There is a gap between what we aspire to do and our current state. I am committed to change within myself and Reserve.
We are wrestling with issues that society has grappled with for centuries, but I make no excuses for the past. Now is the time for us to make a difference. As an educational community, it is incumbent upon us to move beyond history and build a future free from oppression. We must teach anti-racism, tolerance, inclusion, and social justice. We will foster these in our students and see their continued practice in their lives as graduates.
WRA is hard at work, constructing impactful initiative plans that speak to items you have requested us to examine. Rather than share these here, our roadmap, action items and steps to take will be viewable in a new DEI area of our website that is currently under construction. Here you will be able to learn more about what we are doing and how we are doing it. Transparency, follow through and accountability are requisite. We will be in touch later this summer when these pages are launched.
I thank you for your love of Western Reserve Academy and for your commitment to systemic change. I look forward to implementing your ideas and an ongoing partnership resulting in evidence of initiatives and the creation of a better future.