In response to the most recent tragedy at a place of worship, this time in New Zealand, members of the Upper School Peace, Justice and Social Change class worked to develop community responses, including a poster for people to leave messages to the victims, or to pause in remembrance.
On Tuesday students gathered in silence and considered the following student-generated queries: How can we support our religious friends? How can we make people more aware of these kinds of malicious attacks that occur so frequently in our world? Following Meeting for Worship, the group made cards to send to families affected by the attack.
Penn Charter, as a Quaker school, has values that challenge bias and hate. Those values include: honoring that of God in each person; embracing and celebrating people from all walks of life and from all faith traditions; and reaffirming a commitment to peace.
"There is no question that these are challenging times of tension and strife in our nation and in the world," Lee Payton, assistant director of Upper School, wrote in a message to faculty. "As we move forward, let us be guided by the words of William Penn: 'Let us then try what Love will do.'"
