Over the past several months we’ve talked a lot about the high scholastic standards we hold our students to - both in and out of the classroom. But even more important than academics, are the Catholic values that serve as the foundation for the whole-person education on which we pride ourselves.
The recent horrific death of George Floyd has brought the conversation about racial injustice to the forefront and caused all of us to re-evaluate how we are living our Catholic values.
We’re aware of comments made on social media this week by former Boylan students highlighting racist beliefs that are in direct opposition to the teachings of our school and of the Catholic Church.
While we vehemently oppose racism in all its forms, these recent social media posts have made us realize that we can do more to combat racial injustices within our community. To quote the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops recent statement on the death of George Floyd, “People of good conscience must never turn a blind eye when citizens are being deprived of their human dignity and even their lives. Indifference is not an option.”
Although we can’t control the messages that have surfaced, we can take steps to improve and change the way we educate our school community on issues of race and inclusivity. While this won’t happen overnight, we are committed to reviewing our current practices, identifying possible solutions, and implementing new strategies moving forward.
We cannot boast about holding our students accountable for their academics without holding our entire school community accountable for words and actions. We also recognize that we are not alone in educating our students. Family members, peers, and other societal influences help shape the personality and development of our young people. We encourage you to have these important conversations about racial and social justice with your families.
We are so proud of the thousands of Boylan graduates that are positively contributing to our world. The recent rhetoric of a few does not represent the beliefs of the Boylan community as a whole. We seek to continue producing outstanding young men and women - intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, socially, physically, and morally.
Please join us in praying for an end to racial injustice and for healing throughout our community and our country.