DBE Commitment to Equity, Diversity & Justice

Dear colleagues

This season of Advent and the start of the Christian year, is a time of expectation and preparation as the Church looks forward to celebrating the birth of Christ.  It allows the opportunity for us to look back over the last twelve months and all that has been achieved, as well as preparing for all that is to come in the year ahead. 

Just over twelve months ago our Senior Leaders’ Conference launched the DBE’s commitment to Racial Justice.  During the course of the year, this has been a key strand of our work, led by Mark Whitehill (DBE’s Education Effectiveness Officer) reflecting and emphasising the vital importance and response to Racial Justice at both Diocesan and school level.                    

At this time, in the face of wide-ranging external pressures, including the influence of social media and radical political policies, it is important to be clear in our mission to provide inclusive and equitable educational opportunities for all.  Indeed, this is reflected in the principles behind key elements of the Government’s recent curriculum review.

As a Church organisation, the Board of Education believes that Equity, Diversity, and Justice is at the heart of all that we do. As Christians we are charged to ‘love one another’ and treat everyone with dignity and respect. We recognise and celebrate the vast diversity in our Diocese knowing that every single one of us is made in God’s image and is unconditionally loved by God.

 We aim to create an environment where everyone feels valued, everyone feels included, and everyone feels that they belong. We must be bold and courageous and challenge discrimination and prejudice in all it various forms wherever it occurs.

 We do these things not just because they are the right things to do, but with Jesus as our role model, it is what we are charged to do. We do, because Jesus did.

We know that there is some exceptional work happening in our schools in this area. Equally, we are aware that for some schools, for valid reasons, work regarding racial justice is yet to be introduced or developed.  The DBE team are here to support implementation of EDJ work. A number of CPD opportunities have been and will continue to be provided to assist schools to be bold and courageous in taking steps forward.  These will be shared through the DBE Bulletin and on the DBE website.  One free event coming up in the spring term is,

Racial Justice development in the curriculum           Tuesday 3rd March 4-5pm (online)

In addition to this, do contact Mark Whitehill (DBE Racial Justice lead officer) who is available to discuss questions and to offer guidance and support with incorporating RJ work in your school and curriculum.  In the near future, we hope to be able to signpost schools to colleagues with areas of practice that may support this work, as well as building a bank of support resources for schools at different stages of the journey. 

Thank you for all that you and your school are already doing in this important area and for your continued commitment to promoting equity, diversity and justice in our church schools in the Diocese.

Yours in Christ,

Chris Penn

Diocesan Director of Education