Listening, Learning and Working Toward a More Inclusive World
Source/Author: Mike Murphy, Headmaster, et al
June 04, 2020
Dear Shorecrest Community:
Recent events in our nation compel us to reach out to the Shorecrest community. We mourn the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and so many other innocent men and women of color. We recognize that these events have a deeply personal impact on our African-American community members. We acknowledge your pain and stand in solidarity with you.
Moved by our Core Values, Shorecrest strives to be a place where complex individual and group differences are met with respect and compassion. We oppose racism and the harm it inflicts on all members of our society. We reject violence. We stand for respect and dignity for the African-American community that has once again faced injustice. We stand united with all members of our community as we work to make our school and our nation places where all people are treated equally and provided the opportunities to thrive.
At Shorecrest we humbly commit to listening, learning and working toward a more inclusive world. In the spirit of listening, we amplify the voices of two African-American leaders in our school community.
Roderick Avery Fludd, Shorecrest’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, states, “As an African-American man, a son, a brother, a husband, and a father, I am deeply saddened by the seemingly endless list of hashtags we must create to honor African-American lives lost unjustly. But as a member of the Shorecrest community, I am fortunate to be in a position to support our mission and to provide our community with the education, the language, and the tools needed to advocate for ourselves and the causes we believe in.”
Alumna and Third Grade Teacher Khana Rebman '05 shares, “It’s important that our Shorecrest community unite to acknowledge and validate the experience of its members who feel hurt, disheartened and outraged over the constant societal denial of oppression. George Floyd’s death illuminates one brutal reality for African-American people in this country, but still leaves many more ignored. In order for true peace and healing to take place for our nation, we all must do the work. We all must be the change of systemic proportions. I’m fortunate to be a part of a community that values doing the work. In order for all of our children's futures to be bright, it takes all of us to help create this monumental shift. We must stay vigilant against resorting to former versions of ourselves - as a great philosopher once said, 'Once the mind expands, it will never return to its former dimensions.' Let’s stop racism and Be the Change we want to see in the world!”
Shorecrest stands with its students, families, faculty, staff, trustees and alumni. Mr. Fludd has compiled a list of equity and justice educational resources to support all community members. They are posted at www.shorecrest.org/diversity. Community members who need additional support are also encouraged to reach out to Mr. Fludd; our Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; directly at [email protected].
We wish all members of the community comfort and peace.
Mike Murphy
Nancy Spencer
Roderick Fludd
Khana Rebman
