Diversity

At The Philadelphia School, we see diversity as

  • a fact
  • a value, and
  • a commitment.

Fact. Differences among us exist, and they matter. There are many kinds: differences of race, ethnicity, and socio-economic background; differences of sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, and family structure. There are differences in religious belief and political affiliation; in physical and cognitive ability; in learning style, life experience, and more. Our differences profoundly shape our world and our experience of it. They are a part of who we are as people, part of our individual and collective histories, and part of our future together.

Value. To value diversity is to affirm our differences both for their own sake and as the basis of our shared strength. In valuing diversity, we keep particular questions in mind. Is what we are doing inclusive? Is it respectful? Does it lead, in however large or small a way, to a more peaceful and equitable world? For us, valuing diversity also means staying curious, thinking critically about our assumptions, and acknowledging the range of perspectives that comprises any truth. And it means acting on what we have learned from one another.

Commitment. At The Philadelphia School, we are dedicated to building a community whose diversity touches all aspects of our flourishing. In every scene of learning, teaching, and play, we mean to understand and celebrate our differences rather than be ruled by them. We are committed to providing the resources and support necessary to encourage the fullest participation of every person in our school’s family. And we are resolved to take our commitment to diversity beyond that family, by both studying and serving our neighborhoods and our city.

Come as you are and we will learn from one another. We invite you to be a part of the diverse community that is The Philadelphia School.

Why is diversity important at The Philadelphia School?

At TPS, the importance of diversity is knit up in our commitment to progressive education. Progressive education fosters critical, empathetic, and socially engaged intelligence. A diverse community best fosters this kind of intelligence. Students who are conversant with difference learn to think in more complex and ethically responsive ways. As a result, they are better able to participate effectively in their communities to achieve a common good. We believe that when students of varied backgrounds, abilities, and identities share a classroom, all are the beneficiaries.

As a progressive school, we regard diversity as a good in itself. A diverse school community brings into the lives of its members a richness that is its own argument. It is the richness that arises when people of different cultures, histories, and worldviews teach and learn from one another. It is the richness of friendships based equally in what friends share and in how they differ. It is the richness of the world itself, whose diversity we must understand, cherish, and protect.

Because progressive education means learning by doing, we live our commitment to diversity in our everyday interactions, building it into our curriculum and institutional culture. A community embracing diversity must be willing to have difficult conversations and even to embrace the conflict that is so often integral to profound transformation. And such a community must learn to see itself through many eyes. This ongoing work belongs to us all; it hones our minds, uncovers our biases, and helps us do our part in making a more just and compassionate future.

Our aim at The Philadelphia School is to build a progressive community whose diversity reflects and interacts with the diversity of the world. We seek to make the world we hope to see.

   
   
   

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