June 5, 2020
Dear St. Andrew’s Parents and Community,
Our hearts are broken for the family and friends of George Floyd. Losing a loved one in itself is unbelievably sad and tragic, but we know Mr. Floyd’s death was preventable. His life was taken by individuals whose responsibility it was to serve and protect us from danger. These acts of violence continue to create conflict and a massive divide in our society, which we can no longer tolerate as our status quo. Sadly, Mr. Floyd is only one in a very long line of deaths in our country that were related to race.
While this is an emotional time in our lives, the destruction and acts of violence we see playing out in many cities across the United States are not the answer. I pray that we as a society avoid being distracted from two messages. First, racism is real. It affects people of color in every aspect of life, diminishing opportunities that should be obtainable to each of us. Second, violence is never acceptable in any situation. In the St. Andrew’s community, we are here for each other and more than ever we need to reach out to our friends and neighbors in the community and show the compassion, empathy, and humanity that everyone deserves.
More than ever, I understand the power of education and understand that we can be a positive force during this time. We must continue educating ourselves, our children, our students, and each other about race, diversity, equity, and inclusion, no matter how uncomfortable and difficult this subject matter may be. We know that educating children is one of the most impactful ways that can lead to change, because when we do this effectively, our children will help us build a path toward a better future where every individual is seen as having equal human value.
St. Andrew’s students deserve a world that values them and sees each of them as worthy and treasured individuals. We are committed to continuing to do our part to ensure that our school is an environment where all students, faculty, staff, and their families feel welcome, safe, and secure. I fully understand that we have much more to learn and do. However, the diverse voices, perspectives, and talents of our students, faculty, staff and their families offer me hope as we navigate this difficult moment. We are committed to carrying God’s message of love into a hurting world by remembering to clothe the needy, feed the hungry, and always welcome the stranger among us. I invite each of you to reach out to me to add your voice to the ongoing discussion that the St. Andrew’s community will have about race in America. Through the voices of many, may we forge a path to a better future for our children.
This definitely was not the end of the 2019-20 school year for which any of us would have wished or could have ever predicted. The St. Andrew’s community will continue to be the community that stands for justice, peace and hope for a better tomorrow.
I look forward to continuing this conversation with you and your family.
Respectfully,
Kathryn Fitzpatrick
Head of School