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Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Respect in Action Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At McLean we work hard to ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion are more than just add-ons. We make sure, instead, that they are interwoven within the fabric of our community. The work isn’t always easy, but at McLean, we don’t shy away from what is hard. Our goal is that our students develop an appreciation for all people and cultures, a commitment to social justice, and a moral compass to guide them through their lives. As educators, we have a responsibility to foster a generation of young people who are informed, engaged, compassionate, and responsible. We are and always have been about self-reflected learning and accountability, not just for the students in our classroom, but also for ourselves as a faculty and staff, and our School as a whole.

Our many efforts include:

  • Classroom and Curriculum Initiatives.
    Our expert teachers employ a “windows and mirrors” pedagogy to reflect, reveal, and ensure that our students see their own and others’ lives, interests, histories, and perspectives represented in our curriculum. What they learn in the classroom impacts their life outside of the classroom. It’s our expectation that all teachers look critically at their curriculum, topics of study, text assigned, and assessments, to ensure that in an age-appropriate manner topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion are awarded the space and representation they deserve
  • Professional Development for Faculty and Staff.
    Recognizing that it’s imperative we as adults all learn and grow, we regularly bring in nationally recognized thought leaders to share expertise and resources in the realm of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice, most recently hearing from Warren Reid, Jen Court, Rosetta Lee, Rosalind Wisemen, Rodney Glasgow, and Liza Talusan. These professional development activities give our faculty and staff opportunities for reflection and strategies to apply in the classroom and life.
  • School Community Engagement.
    Our rich programming for students and their families includes visiting authors, educators, and advocates; showing of movies such as The Hate U Give, and Just Mercy, along with community-wide reads with opportunities for group reflection and discussion we refer to as “McLean Talks.” These discussions happen in different configurations–parents, students, faculty, and affinity groups–for relevant, moderated, guided work in groups and as a whole. Throughout the year, we–our students, faculty, staff, and parents–honor a number of cultural and community recognitions such as Black History Month, Latinx Heritage Month, Adoption Awareness Month, Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, Arab American and Jewish American Heritage Months, and Day of Silence in support of the LGBTQ community.
  • Inspiring Speakers.
    We have listened to and invited many incredible voices over the years to engage our community. In March 2018, we were honored to have a day-long visit and set of student meetings with the late Congressman John Lewis as part of our Black History Month celebration, providing our community a rare opportunity of personal engagement with this central figure of the Civil Rights Movement. Schuyler Bailar, who made history as the first openly transgender man to compete on an NCAA Division 1 team, spoke about gender inclusion and his experience as a competitive swimmer at Harvard University. We welcomed Pakistani American author, Hena Kahn, to talk about the importance of seeing ourselves reflected in the stories we read. And John Sharon shared his own story of living with a rare physical disability and empowered students to think about how all of us are unique and how differences should be celebrated. Our students have also had one-of-a-kind opportunities to meet with remarkable individuals. From a visit at the White House with First Lady Michelle Obama to a dialogue with the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, Malala Yousafzai, our students have truly seen the work of difference-makers up close in meaningful and personally engaging ways.
DEI at Mclean