Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The Diversity and Inclusion Parent Alliances's (DIPA) mission is to help students and families grow in their understanding of diversity and cultural sensitivity, develop awareness and empathy, and recognize and appreciate the unique nature of our school community. This parent partnership is in support of our school’s mission and in building a welcoming and inclusive community.

Throughout the school year, DIPA hosts several casual drop-ins, national speakers, and community roundtable conversations. In January 2020, DIPA hosted the screening and discussion of the award-winning documentary, Emanuel, at the Terrace Theatre.

For more information about DIPA, contact Kim Brown at kbrown1394@gmail.com or Angela Johnson at angelajohnson3@me.com. 

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Porter-Gaud also has an International Families group that celebrates new and current families from other cultures and countries with picnics, playdates, and social events. The group was formed in 2015.  

For more information about the International Families group, please contact Rossana Guimmares at romarroni@hotmail.com. 

 

 

 

How to Talk to Kids about Racism

Ted Talk with Bryan Stevenson: We Need to Talk About Injustice
 
Talking to Children About Racism and Injustice (Part 1) 
 
Talking to Children About Racism and Injustice (Part 2) 

Book suggestions from ReadBrightly

Media Suggestions about Social Justice 

• John Pearson has served as Director of Diversity since 2005.
• Terra Burke serves as Director of Multicultural Affairs. 
• Sandy Cipriani has recently taken on the role of Middle School Diversity Liaison.
• New faculty diversity training occurs each year with follow-up / debrief with new faculty at the end of their first year. 
• Faculty and staff summer reading books include topics on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Last summer, the most read book was Unselfie by Dr. Michele Borba and in 2018, it was Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving.
• Faculty/staff diversity training is on-going throughout the year. 
• The new Strategic Plan 2020 calls for us to identify, recruit, and retain racially and ethnically diverse faculty and administrators across all divisions of the school. Action steps will be developed this summer. 

• Student programming across all three divisions includes our virtues program, Chapel lessons, weekly social-emotional learning in Life 101, leadership classes, MS and US Global Union clubs, advisory discussions, morning meetings, and division assemblies. Discussions consist of topics on culture, race and ethnicity, religion, disability awareness, and socioeconomic status. While these topics can be difficult, providing the opportunity to have open dialogue and allowing students to ask and answer questions is key.   
• All teachers are making room for current event and spontaneous discussion on race and other diversity initiatives. The History department is also tackling revisionist history as it pertains to American history and slavery. In 2020-21, MS and US English curriculum will include more diverse perspectives including authors of color and women for required student reading. 
• Annual Lower School programming/DEI lessons includes: September: Hispanic/Latino heritage months books and lessons in all lower school homerooms; November: topic is on ability differences i.e. physical disabilities, mental/social disabilities in all lower school homerooms; February: MLK/black history month lesson focus in all lower school homerooms; April: race, racial and gender stereotypes.
• Middle School programming follows the national Teaching Tolerance curriculum which emphasizes social justice and anti-bias. Discussions have included the  bullying, empathy, racism, upstanding, and implicit bias, as part of Life 101.
• In 2019-20, the Freshman Experience diversity seminars included topics such as microaggression, white privilege, unconscious bias, diversity and inclusion, stereotypes, and prejudice.  
• Across all grade levels, we will develop curricula and cross-cultural programs that will train our students to become locally-responsible citizens and globally-minded thinkers and leaders. We will incorporate greater diversity of perspectives in our curriculum while respecting our traditions that enable us to meet the goals of the Vision of a Learner.

Assemblies and Speakers on Diversity Topics (2018 - current) 

• In 2019, the school-wide theme was empathy. Faculty/staff/parent summer reading was Unselfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in an all-about Me World by Dr. Michele Borba. Borba came to campus for two days for student, faculty, and parent programming. 
• Chris Singleton in 2018-19 in Upper School and in 2019 in the Middle School. 
• New partnership with Charleston Jewish Federation in 2018 has brought multiple speakers to LS - US assemblies and classrooms for cultural discussions. 
• Stand Against Racism assemblies in Middle and Upper Schools have included guests from Mother Emanuel Church, senior class speakers, and diversity walks designed to unite our students around racial issues and initiatives. 
• Student testimonies and experiences shared from the NAIS People of Color conference and Student Diversity Leadership Conference each year in the Upper School and Middle School assemblies.
• Matsiko World Orphan Choir has performed for the last three years.

In 2019, Porter-Gaud awarded $2.2 million in financial aid. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Scholarships include:

• The Middleton Scholarship was established in 2017 by Khris Middleton ’09. The Middleton Scholars program aims to increase diversity at Porter-Gaud by awarding scholarships to high achieving underserved and minority students.
• The Equity and Inclusion Endowed Fund ensures that every child that attends Porter-Gaud has access to the full PG experience. The Fund contributes to new uniforms, tutoring, class trips and field trips, club and academic programs such as Youth In Government or Model UN, and extended day. 
• 25 named diversity scholarships can be found on our Giving/Scholarship landing page. 
• Although not specifically established as a diversity scholarship, The Malone Family Foundation Scholarship  enables students who are of the highest academic caliber to attend Porter-Gaud and has been instrumental in expanding access of a Porter-Gaud education to students of all backgrounds.

Porter-Gaud's Global Union is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of diversity. GU is not an exclusive club; it is an inclusive club that consists of those who are open-minded and passionate about having a more diverse, understanding and affirming campus. Established in 2005, we are accepting of all individuals regardless of differences and encourage open dialogue and communication during meetings, planning and implementing programs and in all co-curricular experiences. We embrace differences in race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and all areas under the umbrella of the broad spectrum of “diversity.” We welcome you to step outside of your comfort zone….and into the Global Union.

Other student clubs include:

• Student diversity focus groups with mixtures of kids in race, gender and age since 2010. Within these focus groups, we have affinity groups run by Dr. Fleming, Director of Training and Intercultural Education in the Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at MUSC and John Pearson. 
• Student attendance at NAIS People of Color / Student Diversity Leadership conference for the last 6 years. Students present their experiences in Middle School and Upper School assemblies. 
• PG Pride is a student-run club that brings together LGBTQ+ students and allies to support each other, provide a safe place to socialize, and create a platform for activism. 
• Girls In provides our Middle and Upper School female students with the chance to develop leadership skills, explore topics such as self-esteem, self-defense, body image, and mental illness, as well as professions such as medicine, law, nutrition and wellness.