At St. Martin’s, our Episcopal identity is an integral part of our daily life on campus, as well as a large part of our students’ formation as we prepare them to thrive in life through Faith, Scholarship, and Service.
Episcopal schools are traditionally committed to diversity, inclusion, justice, and equity. This commitment is grounded in the words of the Episcopal Baptismal Covenant and our promise as Christians to:
- seek and serve Christ in all persons,
- love our neighbors as ourselves,
- strive for justice and peace among all people, and
- respect the dignity of every human being.
In solidarity with the National Association of Episcopal Schools, we pledge to respect the dignity of every human being by acknowledging how we differ from one another, as well as how we share a common humanity and reflect the image of God. The Covenant serves as a guide to our daily commitment to act with compassion, love, and integrity, as well as a basis for naming and challenging behaviors that promote exclusion, intolerance, and mistrust.
As Episcopal schools, we are the beneficiaries of a strong intellectual tradition which questions and probes the ideals and beliefs that ground us. This means often entering into difficult conversations instead of sidestepping them. Those conversations are characterized by respect, not shaming or dismissing. They offer us opportunities to learn about ourselves as well as each other. Such conversations are needed among the adults in the community, not just the students.
St. Martin’s is committed to intentionally cultivating a diverse community and fostering an environment where all members of our community are affirmed in belonging. Our tradition is one of graciousness, generosity, and humility. We do not possess all of the answers, and we are eager to learn from each other through the vibrant interactions of a diverse community, one that is welcomed into the total life of the school.
Our school’s awakening to the urgency of the moment is a return to and a renewed appreciation of the sources of our belief and action. What we reiterate here is not something novel; it is the moral and theological expression of long-held Episcopal convictions and commitments.