At the center of Episcopal schools is our Christian identity, which is outlined in our Baptismal Covenant. The questions asked in this covenant are, “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people” and “respect the dignity of every human being?” And we answer, “I will with God’s help.” At the root of Judeo-Christian theology is the idea that all humans are created in the image of God.
Our vision statement echoes these words: “St. Benedict’s Episcopal School graduates scholars who are confident, courageous, compassionate leaders, respectful of diversity, and grounded in faith.”
Respect is at the heart of both of these statements, which is different from tolerating or acknowledging others. Respect means to look at it with a special intention. At St. Benedict’s, we try to teach respect throughout our curriculum. We also acknowledge certain groups when celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and Black History Month. This month the nation celebrates Pride. This weekend we support our LGBT+ community as they raise awareness at Atlanta Pride in Piedmont Park and the Pride Parade in downtown Atlanta.
While we are not adding anything about LGBT+ to the curriculum, some of our parents are inviting anyone (parents and/or students) to join an alliance to learn more and to support our LGBT+ community at St. Benedict’s. We are unofficially calling this the PRIDE Alliance. Unlike an affinity group, which is homogenous, an alliance is made up of all kinds of people and is intended for learning and supporting certain groups. So all are welcome to join the PRIDE Alliance.
If you are interested in learning more about the LGBT+ community or sharing your own experiences as an LGBT+ person, we invite you to join us on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 5:30 P.M. in the commons room of the south campus. If you have any questions about the alliance, feel free to reach out to one of the organizers: Melissa Carter - missmelissacarter@gmail.com.