Diversity Statement

Padua Franciscan High School Diversity Statement

Padua Franciscan High School is a diverse, welcoming community where everyone belongs.

We believe that all individuals are created in the image and likeness of God and, therefore, should be treated with dignity and respect. For these reasons, Padua Franciscan is a community in which all students, faculty, and staff are entitled to pursue their fullest intellectual, social, spiritual, emotional, and physical potential.

To that end, we commit to recognizing and unlearning our own biases and ending any expressions of discrimination—big and small, overt and subtle—that exist within ourselves and our community. The example of St. Francis, St. Clare, and St. Anthony of Padua inspires our commitment to peacemaking and responsible social action. We choose to stand in solidarity with those who experience economic, political, and social marginalization, regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, socio-economic class, and ability.

By infusing inclusive initiatives into the school culture and extracurricular activities, we strive to promote understanding, acceptance, and celebration of our diversity.

Groups Celebrating Diversity

• DEI Committee: The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee consists of members of the faculty and staff who are committed to making Padua a diverse, welcoming community where everyone belongs. The committee advises and makes recommendations to the administration regarding DEI concerns and collaborates with students to ensure that all voices are heard. For more information, contact the Vice President of Mission and Ministry.
• R.A.C.E.: Respect All Cultures Equally is a student group that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion by meeting with students and the administration to have meaningful conversations and plan events and activities to break down barriers and build unity. It is the goal of R.A.C.E. that all Bruins embrace the Franciscan mission to Respect All Cultures Equally.
• American Sign Language Club
• World Language Clubs
  • Spanish
  • Italian 
  • German

Events Celebrating Diversity

• Diversity Leadership Training
• Faculty and Staff in-services and training
• Dialogue Day: A one-day workshop for freshmen and faculty to discuss experiences concerning diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Padua community and the lives of the students
• MLK prayer service
• Monthly Celebrations
• Hispanic-Latin Heritage Month
• Black History Month
• Women’s History Month
• Asian American and Pacific Islander Month
• Dia de los Muertos Ofrenda
• Monthly curated Library displays celebrating diversity

Resources

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Incident Reporting Form