ILS Statement on Racism
We stand strong against racism and denounce the extrajudicial killing of George Floyd.
Students at ILS are taught to take a stand against unjust actions and fight for those whose voices have been silenced and who have experienced oppression of any kind. We will keep the momentum.
ILS is committed to:
-actively discussing systemic racism with our students
-sharing resources to help educate our community
-raising a generation of leaders with a heart for social justice
-listening to the ideas and concerns of the Royal Lion community
Please also see Archbishop Wenski’s statement on racism and violence in our communities.
*ILS funds are currently being used to make sure all of our students can return to school in the Fall after many families have lost their jobs due to COVID-19.
ILS SGA Executive Board Statement
As students of ILS, we recognize that it is our responsibility not only to speak of injustice, but also to put that speech into action.
We condemn the unjust killing of George Floyd.
Our education at ILS has always been rooted in the Gospel values of dignity, protection of human life, and respect for all of our brothers and sisters. ILS also provides us with ways to put our Catholic faith into action, through service projects and the exposure to different cultures in the classroom and among our peers. In light of recent events, we want to rededicate ourselves to recognizing how prevalent racism is in society, and to commit ourselves to speaking out against it, and acting to correct it.
Next school year, the SGA will be hosting discussions on racism and injustice, promoting minority voices, and identifying ways that we can better serve marginalized communities in our city. We as students must follow Jesus Christ’s example and be proactive in times of suffering.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski’s statement on racism and violence in our communities
“Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community”: This was the title of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s last book, written one year before his assassination in 1968. More than 50 years later, the question posed by the title of Dr. King’s book has lost none of its timeliness. America continues to deal with the sad legacy of racism as well as with growing social and economic inequality that has been exasperated by our throwaway culture and the globalization of indifference. As we face a health crisis, an economic crisis and a societal crisis, chaos cannot be an option.
As Pope Francis said in his Wednesday audience of June 3, 2020:
“… we cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life. At the same time, we have to recognize that the violence of recent nights is self-destructive and self-defeating. Nothing is gained by violence and so much is lost.” — Pope Francis, June 3, 2020.
All Americans of good will are united in denouncing the unjustified killing of George Floyd. We also should be united in denouncing the deaths of those who lost their lives in the ensuing violence that has plagued our cities, including those police officers who were killed in the line of duty. America is at its best, when the rights of the weak and vulnerable are protected and not viewed as expendable. America is at its strongest, when all our institutions promote the common good and work for the advantage of everyone.
Today, America weeps. May her tears water a new flowering of liberty and justice for all.