Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

As a Waldorf community and school, we hold the dignity of life and the human being at the centre of our work. We stand in solidarity against racism and the systems of oppression that allow it to persist and harm people of colour. We are committed to understanding our role in perpetuating and benefiting from those systems and taking action to deconstruct them.

It is our responsibility to bear witness to what is happening in the world, to elevate the voices of marginalized people, to change the course of inequities, and to take an active role in breaking down structural prejudice in all forms where it exists particularly in Waldorf education.

As a school body, we uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,” and we seek to build an educational environment that enables all students to realize their full freedom and individuality. We affirm and embrace all backgrounds, experiences, and identities, knowing that every person makes a rich and valuable contribution to our education and school life. We strive to base our education at VWS in accordance with Steiner’s later pronouncement that we “must seek to unite people of all races and nations, and to bridge the divisions and differences between various groups of people.”

We are listening, and we are learning.

AWSNA Member Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Waldorf schools and institutes embrace respect for human rights and for the diversity of humankind, and we believe that valuing and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion comprise a journey of both moral and educational importance. Through our commitment to social justice, we recognize the value of addressing the historical context and the endemic nature of racism and inequality. This commitment is supported by an anthroposophical understanding of the spiritual nature of all humans and the importance of the conscious development of human relationships, as described in principles 1 and 5 of both the AWSNA Principles for Waldorf Schools and the AWSNA Principles for Waldorf Institutes. These principles state, respectively: “The image of the human being as a spiritual being informs every aspect of the school,” and “The conscious development of human relationships fosters individual and community health.”

DEI Working Group

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are embraced as a strengthening principle across all areas of our school. We strive to sustain a community that reflects the diversity of North Vancouver and the Greater Vancouver area. We seek to establish an inclusive learning environment in which differences are understood and celebrated. We acknowledge that growth is an ongoing process that calls on the qualities of commitment, cooperation, and respect that are at the heart of our school community.

Questions about Vancouver Waldorf School’s DEI work? Please reach out to our Principal, Lorna Fortin, at principal@vws.ca.