A letter from VIMSIA Leadership in response to tragic events across our country.
/To the VIMSIA Community,
Our hearts are heavy with the recent acts of hatred and violence and the resulting calls for justice taking place across the country. Our community joins all those mourning the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others. The pain of these deaths require, at the very least, our solidarity and we must step up to denounce racism with one voice.
In the face of these injustices, we must remain committed to building an inclusive community, the strength of which rests on our shared appreciation for a diversity of cultures and identities. This cannot be passive. We must each continue to find ways of taking action to demonstrate our values. This work is essential to fostering mutual respect, responsibility, and empathy in each of us, so we may carry these values out into the world.
VIMSIA’s goal continues to be the education and development of global citizens, which we are constantly working towards in both our Montessori and PGIA classrooms. We aim to provide a space to help students share their thoughts and feelings, as well as develop solutions and take action to address the world’s injustices. To that end, PGIA students are invited to a forum on the Causes and Consequences of Current Protests tomorrow, June 4th at 3:15 pm. This optional, open forum will build and expand on conversations that have already taken place within Individuals & Societies and Global Politics classes this week.
For anyone struggling to process these recent events in a productive and healthy way, know that you are not alone and we are here to support you. We encourage students to reach out to our Guidance Counselor, Samantha Kaffenbarger, or any staff member with whom you feel comfortable.
We have included a link to a library collection of vetted resources, some of which our staff are already using in the classroom. This collection is by no means an exhaustive list but it is a start to aid understanding of what is happening in our country.
Racism, Civil Disobedience & Global Unrest
Sincerely,
VIMSIA Leadership Team