“Establishing lasting peace is the work of education”
-- Maria Montessori

Culture, Community, and Diversity

Culture, community, and diversity are important words at The San Francisco School. But community does not happen by itself, not even at The San Francisco School.

Not everyone automatically feels included, understood, or valued. Socio-economic differences can be a hurdle rather than an invitation. Strong friendships may exclude, rather than include. Forces are at work in society that consume our time, divert our attention, or undermine our intentions.

So whether you came to The San Francisco School because of the nature of the community, found it once you arrived, still are seeking to be a part of its mystique, or are just reading about it now, the school invites you to help make the community a place that invites equal membership to all, embraces each family equally, supports school initiatives wholeheartedly, and celebrates together.

School Position on Intolerance and Harassment

The San Francisco School is committed to creating and maintaining a community in which all persons, adults and children, can work and play together in an atmosphere free of all forms of harassment, including name-calling, teasing, bullying, intimidation, and exploitation.

The school prohibits any language or behavior that harasses others due to real or perceived race, language, heritage, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical appearance, ability, learning style, relative power, or for any other reason, including the association with others with these characteristics.

Even when intended in jest, such comments and actions create an unsafe community and teach a tolerance for a language of disrespect. The San Francisco School strives to prevent such harassment through education, intends to intercede swiftly in every instance, and will take appropriate disciplinary action.

A Celebration of Mutual Respect and Inclusive Behavior

The San Francisco School is committed to being a welcoming and inclusive community, not just in its abhorrence of intolerance and harassment, but also in the call to every member of the community to act with utmost integrity and to take individual and collective steps to assure a climate of mutual respect.

Adults and children alike are expected to model the highest level of inclusive speech and actions, to act as allies for the offended, and to be intentional in embracing every member of the community.

Parents and students must be vigilant in their own behavior and must share the responsibility to take action to assure the community is not just civil, but warm and inviting; not just free of harassment, but filled with acts of kindness and inclusiveness; not just a school, but a model of multiculturalism, equity, justice, sustainability, and peace.

Read about our commitment to Equity and Justice.