Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

I am a heart open to others. - ESD Manifesto

ESD's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Approved by Episcopal Identity Committee of the Board, January 6, 2022
Approved by the Board of Directors, January 13, 2022

The Board, in partnership with the school’s executive leadership, has worked to reaffirm our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at The Episcopal School of Dallas. This commitment is not new; it is an ongoing effort that was embodied in formal commitments made by the school in 1996, 2005, and 2015. Diversity, equity, and inclusion at ESD are defined as follows:

Diversity: Casting as wide a net as possible to attract and retain the best and most spirited people to work, teach, and learn at ESD so as to enrich our community through their variety of talents and perspectives.

Equity: Ensuring that all members of our community have the tools and the environment they need to succeed and be the best version of themselves.

Inclusion: Ensuring that every person at ESD feels a sense of being an integral part of our community and that they have their place within our broader school culture.

The goal of the Board in this work is to help the school achieve a fuller expression of its Episcopal Identity as grounded in the gospels and the teachings of Jesus, and to achieve its mission of igniting lives of purpose through the development of an educated conscience. In the baptismal covenant of the Episcopal Church, the faithful are called to “strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.” The commitments made herein are a further articulation of that call. Our Founding Rector and Headmaster, The Reverend Canon Stephen B. Swann, often proclaimed, “Every child is made in the image of a loving God,” to remind students, faculty, and staff of their roles in embracing and shepherding all in our community.

The children attending our school now will leave the relative shelter of ESD soon and live their most productive and fulfilling years at mid‐century. In order to be ready for that world they will need an understanding of the joy, strength, and value of diverse perspectives necessary to succeed in an increasingly diverse community. By having our work guided by these commitments, we believe each of our students will be better prepared to successfully live a life of purpose.

Therefore, the Board reaffirms our commitment, which includes a continuing effort to fulfill the following objectives:

Be a school that reflects and values the diversity of our community in all its forms, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and political viewpoint.
Ensure that all students and employees feel like they belong at ESD, are fully included in the life and culture of the school, and have a safe environment in which to become their best selves.
Ensure that all students and employees feel respected and valued regardless of who they are or what they believe.
Ensure that the faculty and staff have the training necessary to teach, in the classroom and by example, the tenets of our Episcopal Identity, including around diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Ensure that all students and employees are treated fairly and have equitable access to opportunities at ESD.

In order to achieve these objectives, we have asked the school administration to ensure that ESD will continually:

Unify the ESD community, especially around our shared belief that every child is made in the image of a loving God.
Review and enhance the structures and systems within the school to encourage an increase in diversity in our community.
Be proactive in ensuring that the curriculum reflects multiple perspectives and all school policies are nondiscriminatory and free of bias.
Ensure that teachers are able to understand cultural differences when planning lessons and managing classrooms.
Collaboratively engage the voices of faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumni in a diverse, equitable, and inclusive school community.
Review the implementation of these efforts, including soliciting input from the school community.

The Board understands that we live in a highly politicized world with many sources of information and misinformation. In some circumstances, this can lead to misconceptions about the school's direction. To address potential misconceptions, we note specifically that our commitment and objectives are:

Not a change in our Mission or departure from our Episcopal Identity.
Not a devaluation of our teaching of the Gospel.
Not a curriculum change to teach that being part of an ethnic or racial group makes a person responsible for systemic problems, or to cast blame on or shame any member of the community for actions that took place in history.
Not the teaching of Critical Race Theory.
Not a mandate that the school encourage children to question or not question their sexual identity or sexual orientation.
Not the introduction of a political agenda into the classroom or chapel.
Not a devaluation of the concept of merit in determining student achievement.

Since we are a community with a variety of perspectives on these issues, it is imperative that all community members communicate with each other in accordance with the principles of honor, respect, and integrity. Our Code of Conduct states: “We take pride in making a commitment to these higher ideals and hold each other accountable when we fall short.”

ESD’s Long-Standing Commitment to Diversity

1996

The Board stated that “the commitment of ESD to diversity is long‐standing” and approved the following Statement on Diversity:

“The Episcopal School of Dallas believes that diversity in our school community enhances the quality of the education that ESD provides. Diversity fosters development of critical thinking which welcomes alternative points of view and is sensitive to the interests, traditions and concerns of others. The ESD community acknowledges and values the diversity that exists in our ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, the languages we speak, our genders and ages, the traditions we observe, the structures of our families, our financial and educational resources, and the special needs we may have. In our recruitment practices for students and their families, faculty, staff, and those serving on the board, we strive to create a diverse school community whose members embrace the Mission Statement of the Episcopal School of Dallas.”

2005

The Board reiterated the school’s commitment to DEI and approved a series of “long‐range diversity goals” which included:

Further increasing the percentage of people of color in the community;
Actively and continuously training faculty on “how to create equity‐centered classrooms and implement a balanced multicultural curriculum”;
Regularly reassessing “diversity policies, procedures, mission statements and practices” which “requires [a] constant review of the school’s climate, culture, and curriculum for bias and inequity.”

2015

The Board reiterated its commitment to diversity with the following Statement on Diversity and Inclusion:

“The ESD community is committed to creating, maintaining, and nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment as it prepares young women and men for lives of intellectual discovery, integrity, and purpose. We believe that diversity in our school community enhances the quality of the education that ESD provides and is essential to the development of well‐rounded people in the twenty‐first century. The Episcopal School of Dallas values diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic background.”

Elizabeth Goatley

Director of Diversity and Inclusion

Learn More About Our Episcopal Identity

We want all students, faculty, and staff to know that we are one body, one school, regardless of our differences.

How We Learn From Each Other

Affinity Groups

An affinity group is a group of people who share a similar identity. You must be able to speak from the "I" perspective. Ex: I am a member of this group. These affinity groups offer a place for dialogue, reflection, and support within our community.

Black Student Union

The Black Student Union aspires to dedicate themselves and the organization to be a component for education, cultural, spiritual, and social exchange among students. Members charge the organization to act as a unified intermediary for the promotion of creative Black Student Union enterprises, and to aid in the awareness and significance of African Americans as part of their experience at The Episcopal School of Dallas (ESD).

Jewish Student Union

The Jewish Student Union explores our Jewish identities within the ESD community and shares aspects of the Jewish faith traditions and spiritual beliefs with one another as well as with the broader community. As we seek to understand our own religious identity, we also seek “to demonstrate and proclaim the unique worth and beauty of all human beings as creations of a loving, empowering God” (NAES Episcopal Identity Statement).

Women's Studies Organization

Alliance Groups

While affinity groups are made up of students who share similar identities, alliance groups are made up of students of all identities working towards a common goal. You can speak from a "we" perspective. Ex: Although I might not experience that personally, we are in supportive of your right to feel that way.

Asian Student Union

Biracial/Multiracial Alliance Group

Latinos Unidos

Middle School Diversity Club

Religious Diversity

Spectrum

S.O.A.R Club

Campfire Program

“Sitting around the campfire, being able to see and converse with everyone on equal footing ... inclusivity is what I want for everyone.” - The Reverend Canon Stephen B. Swann, ESD Founding Rector and Headmaster

Created to model the sense of community created at ESD's very first class held in 1974, our Campfire Program is designed to guide new and current students and families through both a successful transition into ESD and a fulfilling experience throughout their time here. Although it does not replace the advisory program in which every student participates, the program offers onboarding into the ESD community, social and academic guidance, and Campfire-family specific events.

To learn more about the Campfire Program, visit our webpage here.

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