1/30/17 In Review

Chapel on January 30, 2017 was held in St. John the Divine, the speaker was Hollis Amley, Upper School Division Head of St. John’s School and her speech served to inform the school community of the steps the administration was taking to combat discrimination and harassment on campus. Because of the unusual format of this particular chapel, we’ve elected not to publish a standard review of the speech, but instead to comment on the ongoing efforts to ensure diversity and tolerance at SJS.

When Hallie and I first started Freethinkers Club at the end of the 2015–2016 academic year, we committed not just to providing a space for students who aren’t religious, but also hosting a dialogue on religion and philosophy at the school. Since inception, I’m pleased that we’ve seen a few religious students join our club and even contribute to this publication. At no point in our (relatively short) existence has the club experienced conflicts with other organizations or students of faith thanks to the tolerant community of St. John’s.

With that in mind, it’s troubling that so many students have experienced discrimination and harassment for ethnic and religious reasons, notably the several reported racially charged and anti-Semitic incidents. I’m pleased to see that the school is committed to addressing these concerns, and I want to reiterate the commitment of Freethinkers Club to inclusion and tolerance. As secular students, we strongly encourage discourse and debate, and we don’t shy away from controversial topics, but we pledge to always respect and value the views of others, and expect our members to do the same.

That’s all for this short Chapel In Review. We’ll be back to secular club member analysis and critiques of prayers, speeches, and values next week.