Peace, Justice & Moral Courage Initiatives at John Carroll
As a Catholic school, our faith calls for us to recognize all people as children of God. Inclusion is a core value that is integral to our commitment to ensure that every student is known and valued.
In light of the current crisis our country faces in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, we are sharing the work we have done to date and accelerating actions we are taking to support our Black students, alumni, neighbors and friends during this time of crisis.
We believe that Black Lives Matter, which as many have eloquently explained, does not imply that other lives do not as well. Rather, as Jesus says in Luke 15:4, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he finds it?” Right now, our Black brothers and sisters are in need.
We can do better as a society founded on Judeo-Christian ethics and we must do better, and we will do better here at John Carroll.
We want to offer a special thank you to all of the alumni who are passionate on this subject and who signed the recent petition brought to our attention. You can view our response by clicking here. To receive future updates, please complete this brief form to ensure we have your current contact information.
2020-2021 Action Items
(updated October 20, 2020)
The John Carroll School Diversity Statement
The John Carroll School embraces diversity. Diversity is the keystone of a healthy, productive, inclusive society. It requires constant and thoughtful examination of its components which include age, creed, culture, ethnicity, gender, national origin, physical ability, race, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.
John Carroll seeks to foster a community that works to achieve an open and welcoming environment, where individuals can participate, challenge assumptions, learn and work collaboratively in a diverse setting.
- We strive to create and nurture an environment with different points of view from different people.
- We work to promote intellectual and emotional growth as a foundation for productive relationships.
- We believe that listening, seeking to understand different points of view, and celebrating human variety, are the cornerstones of true diversity.
About the John Carroll Peace, Justice & Moral Courage Committee
Since 2014, the John Carroll Peace, Justice & Moral Courage Committee (previously known as the Diversity Committee and Peace & Justice Committee), comprised of faculty and staff, has been working to achieve the following goals:
- To strengthen the diversity of the student body, faculty and staff.
- To create an anti-racist community that does not simply tolerate and respect differences, but understands and celebrates them, in order to make all students feel welcome at John Carroll.
- To develop faculty capabilities and opportunities to deliver culturally relevant curricula.
Peace, Justice & Moral Courage Efforts to Date
Some of the initiatives supported by the Peace, Justice & Moral Courage Committee since its inception include:
- Our impactful Holocaust education program, which includes Holocaust Remembrance Day, hosting Lessons of the Shoah for schools around the state, and a Genocide Vigil.
- Annual school-wide program honoring Dr. Martin Luther King and his work.
- Ongoing, diversity-themed school-wide assemblies.
- Participation of both faculty and students in the Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS) diversity conferences.
- The establishment of the Andrew P. Klein Memorial Peace & Justice Grant, the first of which was awarded this past May to four faculty members to develop an innovative, upper level elective course entitled “Exploration of Human Rights, Genocide and the Pursuit of Justice.”
- This past spring, a Black Student Union was formed as a part of a Senior Project. Meant as a safe space for all students to have an open and honest dialogue about race in today's society, the group held its first meeting in early June and is already providing ideas and support for the John Carroll community.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Resources
As part of our ongoing professional development program for John Carroll faculty and staff, we have started a list of resources you can access here.