From the Master:

“This week my podcast considers the Black Lives Matter protests and debates in the context of MCS:

At MCS we all have privileged lives in the global scheme of things.  Sitting there feeling guilty about privilege isn’t going to get us very far; recognising what we have been given, speaking up and out for what is right, and doing our bit is much more valuable….   I have spoken to you before about the formation of good habits; what becomes natural now will have a profound impact when you are an adult and are in a position to make decisions about whether and how you use your power….

I say so often that the world needs you to be your best, powerful and strong selves that I risk your not believing me, or not even hearing it any more.  I will never apologise for reminding you of who the world needs you to be. Believe me, I mean it, and it’s becoming more true by the day.

That black lives matter is not something we suddenly woke up to last week, though recent events have been shocking and are a call to action. We want our pupils to grow up understanding the causes and effects of inequality. We want our pupils to be committed to positive change and we continue to put this at the heart of what we are and do. If we are to address privilege in its many and complex forms, then one key way to do that is by looking at the pipeline: who has access to all MCS has to offer.  That is one of the reasons why partnerships, bursaries and above all service are at the heart of our mission at MCS. You can see more of that aspect of school life on our website: www.mcsoxford.org/partnerships and you can contribute to our bursary campaign here:  www.mcsoxford.org/supporting-mcs.  Everyone can help us achieve our aim of achieving excellence in diversity.  We shall continue to reflect on what we do and how we do it, and to shape the global city to which we are a proud contributor.

The pandemic is bringing changes with it, and one positive is a desire among all of us here to make something better of our world from what we are learning in 2020.  Some members of our community have also written in support of Black Lives Matter, and we shall take into account those comments as we move forward.  This is an ongoing task, and one we cannot be complacent about.”