Bishop Stopford’s School sends its sincere condolences to the family and friends mourning the tragic loss of George Floyd in Portland, Oregon. We reaffirm the Church of England’s stance that ‘racism is an affront to God’ and stand in solidarity with those who fight to eradicate it. Our school is underpinned by deep rooted values of respect, consideration, loyalty, responsibility and success and we wish to share responsibility and play our part to eliminate the scourge of racism on humanity. As a school we are ‘one body’ and the Bishop’s family joins in prayer with the Church of England ‘that God’s abounding wisdom, compassion and love will guide leaders across the world to forge a better society.’
We are currently in the grip of a global health pandemic and it is important to note the significance of our BAME community in coping with this, from the NHS and our care homes, to our transport systems and food supply, to education, and to every profession and sector of the economy. We applaud their selfless commitment to our safety and security both now, and in the future.
Bishop Stopford’s School will always challenge racism and inequality in society, we will not be conscious bystanders, and we will always challenge discrimination, bigotry and injustice.
Please see the full statement from Archbishop Justin Welby and Archbishop John Sentamu in response to events in the United States of America below:
“Recent events in the United States of America have once again drawn public attention to the ongoing evil of white supremacy. Systemic racism continues to cause incalculable harm across the world. Our hearts weep for the suffering caused – for those who have lost their lives, those who have experienced persecution, those who live in fear. God’s justice and love for all creation demands that this evil is properly confronted and tackled. Let us be clear: racism is an affront to God. It is born out of ignorance and must be eradicated. We all bear the responsibility and must play our part to eliminate this scourge on humanity.”
As Dr Martin Luther King Jr said, ‘In a real sense, we are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Therefore, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’
