The theme for the week is Respecting our differences, and the quote for the week is from Audre Lorde, an American writer, and civil rights activist, and she said:
“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”
We live in a country that is rich in diversity, 11 different languages, different cultures, religions, backgrounds, and beliefs. You see it every day in your classrooms, on the sports field, in the dining hall. And yet, sometimes, we forget that these differences are not obstacles, they are opportunities, they are opportunities to understand each other better.
If you think of your friends, maybe one is quiet and thoughtful, another is loud and funny, another is always reading, and someone else can never sit still. These differences are not a weakness; they are a strength.
Respecting those differences means listening when someone has a different opinion, standing up for someone who’s being left out or treated unfairly, and finding out more instead of being judgmental because you are ignorant.
Respecting differences also means being aware of how we treat others online. Social media can be a place of connection, but it can also be a place of cruelty. It’s easy to hide behind a screen and say things we wouldn’t dare to say face-to-face. But respect doesn’t stop when we go online. Before you comment or share something, ask yourself: “Is this kind? Is this fair? Would I want this said about me or my family?”
And finally, respecting differences means being open to learning. You don’t have to agree with everyone. But you do have to listen. You do have to try to understand. That’s how we grow, not just as individuals, but as a school, as a community, and as a nation.
So, as you go through this week, I challenge you to do three things:
- listen more than you speak
- stand up when someone is being put down by others
- learn to appreciate what makes you, and others unique
Because when we respect our differences, we don’t just tolerate each other—we honour each other. And that is the foundation of a true brotherhood.
Pro Aris et Focis
Mrs J Finnie
Deputy Headmaster: Academics