We also have to teach our students that the diversity in the school community is a blessing that enriches the life of the community. By entering into honest dialogue with those who are different we can become more deeply conscious of the beautiful kaleidoscope that makes up the human family. Our school is a microcosm of this family, with people from many different backgrounds bringing a richness of experience, vision, and personality to our community. Our community is very blessed by the rich diversity of our population, with students coming from so many different cultures, religious traditions, language groups, ethnic origins, etc. This offers to all of us the opportunity to grow in awareness of and appreciation for the beautiful pastiche that is the human family. Therefore, I have a challenge for our community this year. I ask everyone associated with our school to make a special, conscious, and deliberate effort to speak and act respectfully toward every person they meet, regardless of perceived differences or distinctions. So, whether a person is Caucasian, African, First Nation, Asian, Latino, Indian, or of any other origin, whether a person is Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Baha’i, or of any other religious tradition, whether a person self-identifies as straight, gay, bi or any other sexual orientation, whether the person is a talented athlete, or artist, or actor, or thinker, or musician, or singer, or technician, or has any other gifts, each is to be treated with the utmost respect and dignity. Just as God loves each person as a reflection of divine love, so must we seek to love one another and to see one another as God sees us. Only in this way can we truly live the Gospel mandate given to us by Jesus. And only in this way can we confront the destructive pattern of sectarianism, tribalism, and discrimination that is ripping apart the human family. The mean-spirited reaction is fuelled by what is seen in the public forum. To counteract this we have created a new approach with the support of students and faculty.
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Being part of the Human Rights Initiative is about accepting that there is still so much we can all learn about acceptance and diversity. The Initiative creates a welcoming environment for students who are open to growth and ready to learn from one another.
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-Tate Kolton '18
The student-led Human Rights Initiative was created at the beginning of the year to offer a place for students and teachers to gather for an open conversation about important social issues that we deal within our school. The intention of this conversation is first to ensure that every student, regardless of his ethnic or cultural identity, religious adherence, or sexual orientation, knows that he is valued and appreciated as a member of our community, and second, to encourage students to contribute positively and constructively to the promotion of human rights in the broader community. Secondly, in an effort to address the societal shift toward exclusion and fear of others, St. Paul's hosted its first annual Culture Day to celebrate the cultural and ethnic diversity in our community. This event took place on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 and saw the Eddie Cass Gym transformed into different pavilions, each showcasing the culture and food of our various school communites. It is our hope that our students will grow in their appreciation of the wonderful richness that diversity bestows on our community through learning more about the various cultures represented by their classmates. It is our hope for the future that the St. Paul's community will be an example of respect for all members of the human race so that together we can all work to create a just and loving society.
T H E C RU S AD ER | WINTER 2018
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