Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
We celebrate diversity, honor individuals of all identities, and pursue justice in our school community and beyond.
Committed to Equality
We are deeply committed to cultivating a community of citizens who are equipped to recognize and dismantle systems of oppression and injustice in the world within and outside our walls.
A large part of our work goes far beyond preparing students to be academically successful in college; it is our responsibility to develop students who value diversity, respect people of all identities, and appreciate the benefits of a culture of belonging.
At Griffin, We Believe
- Embracing and understanding diverse perspectives is going to be necessary in order to be successful in today's world.
- Diversity (in terms of race, ethnicity, culture, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, religion, political affiliation, socioeconomic status, and other identities and lived experiences) is beneficial for everyone; a diverse school environment helps teachers teach more effectively, better prepares students to be leaders in their communities, and activates empathy.
- We inherited a society in which power and privilege are conferred on some at the expense of others. To build a more just society, we must empower young people to recognize and disrupt these systems, and to elevate the voices of marginalized people.
- We cannot expect the erosion of racism to occur without taking direct action. In the words of Angela Davis, “in a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.”
Initiatives and Efforts In Progress
Via parallel efforts of staff, students, and our board, the Griffin community has affirmed diversity, equity, and inclusion as areas of primary focus going forward, and we have dedicated time, funding, and resources to doing this work individually and collectively.
Our Initiatives
SCHOLARSHIPS: Griffin provides scholarship funding each year in order to make our school community accessible to students from a broad array of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Specifically, in 2019, we committed to intentional and explicit fundraising specifically to fund scholarships for students of color from underserved communities. To that end, we have worked with Breakthrough Central Texas, an organization building a path through college for low-income students.
NATIONAL SEED PROJECT: We have partnered with SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity), a social justice organization that works with institutions in bringing people together to learn through self reflection, build relationships through structured dialogue, and create change through systemic analysis. Two of our faculty members have received training with SEED and have been leading regularly scheduled SEED workshops with staff as part of our effort to build awareness of diverse experiences, and to cultivate a culturally competent and inclusive school culture.
CURRICULUM: We have worked intentionally to build curricula that decenters the narratives of dominant identities and elevates the voices of historically marginalized identities. Through sharing the perspectives, experiences, and stories of diverse people and groups, our students develop a real understanding of who we are, where we've been, and the possibilities of where we could go.
Areas to Grow
At Griffin, we recognize that this work is ongoing and never complete. With that in mind, at Griffin we would like to:
- Continue to diversify the student body so that Griffin grows to be a truly multicultural environment, where new students not only feel welcomed but feel that they belong.
- Build empathy and seek equality by engaging students in increasingly effective and organic discussions about how we each experience the world.
- Build authentic connections with diverse communities in our area and beyond.
- Offer more cultural events that are created and led by robust groups of students and staff of the culture being celebrated.
- Intentionally hire from diverse backgrounds to maintain and increase diversity within the Griffin staff and to promote representation for both staff and students.