Christian schools have a unique challenge when it comes to creating an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for their students. While administrators may think that racial issues don't exist in their school, this is not always the case. To make sure that everyone feels safe and respected, school leaders must take proactive steps to ensure that all students are included. One way to do this is to provide training on topics such as equity, anti-racism, decolonization, intersectionality, racial justice, white fragility, and white privilege.
This training should be tailored to the specific needs of the school and its student body. It should also include instruction on how to use the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) framework for teaching these topics. In addition to providing training, schools should also consider how they can create a more equitable environment for their students of color. This could include implementing multicultural curricula, changing sports team mascots, and ensuring equal treatment for all students regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or physical or mental abilities.
At the national level, teachers should be trained on how to recognize and address their own racial prejudices and understand cultural differences. This is especially important in primary and secondary education, where debates about “political correctness” are often taking place in more than 15,000 school districts across the country. In Idaho, both law schools have made great efforts to attract and support diverse students through institutionally developed initiatives. These initiatives include providing resources such as the Institute for Law School Success which teaches students how to read and summarize court opinions, prepare for law school exams, manage workloads and stress levels, and form productive study groups.
At Whitworth University in particular, administrators have not taken a formal stance on homosexuality but have allowed students to make their own decisions about how to address issues related to diversity and equity. This approach has been praised by groups like People for the American Way who found that in the 1992-93 school year there were 395 incidents of censorship and other challenges to school materials and practices in 44 states – the highest number in history. Unfortunately, some Christian schools may deprioritize issues of diversity due to financial constraints or pressure from conservative groups like Citizens for Excellence in Education. In these cases, it is important for school leaders to find a balance between competing ideological interests while still creating an environment that is Gospel-centered and respectful of all beliefs. Ultimately, Christian schools must strive to create an atmosphere where everyone feels safe and respected regardless of their race, gender identity or sexual orientation. By taking proactive steps such as providing training on equity and anti-racism as well as implementing multicultural curricula, schools can ensure that all students feel welcome and included.
