Archbishop Molloy High School announced the creation of the Council for Diversity and Inclusion, following backlash from current students and alumni over a lack of an initial response to George Floyd’s killing and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests that took place over the summer.
The council was created as a direct response to the reports of racism and sexism past and present students experienced while at the Briarwood private institution.
The Catholic Marist school, with a mission to “foster an exemplary education in the mind, body and spirit for a diverse college-bound population,” came under fire in June when students and alumni began contacting the school for not addressing the Floyd protests impacting the nation as well as some of their own students.
Shortly after those calls, Archbishop Molloy high school shared a response on their Instagram page that was later deleted.
In their statement, they wrote, “Like you, all of us at Archbishop Molloy High School are distressed by current events that reflect the racism and bigotry that unfortunately exist in our society.”
Following their statement, though, students and alumni flooded the comment section with criticisms and personal stories of racism and bigotry that they’ve experienced by their own teachers and peers that were overlooked by the administration.
Then, a “Not for School But for Black Lives” protest took place in front of the school.
Archbishop Molloy High School has more than 1,500 students. The largest ethnic group is white at 51 percent, followed by Hispanic students at 24 percent, Asian students at nearly 12 percent and Black students at 10 percent, according to the schools’ 2020-21 data.
Demographics for the school’s administration wasn’t readily searchable on their public data.
Their Council for Diversity and Inclusion is an independent advisory group that will work with Molloy’s School Board and Administration to share insights and make recommendations about policies and procedures pertaining to diversity and inclusion.
It will be driven by a group of alumni, parents, faculty, staff and industry experts who are committed to cultivating a truly inclusive institutional culture at the high school.
“Called by founder St. Marcellin Champagnat to care for the ‘least favored,’ and rooted in shared Catholic Marist Charism, Molloy and the Council are committed to creating a school community where everyone can succeed, especially those from communities who have been marginalized by society,” a press release sent by the school reads. “The hope of Molloy and the Council is to build a community where students, faculty, and staff of every race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, immigration status, academic learning style, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and socioeconomic background can thrive.”
To learn more about the Council, including information about each member and will feature ongoing updates related to diversity and inclusion at the high school, visit www.molloyhs.org/diversity.
