Valuing Biblical Diversity

The King's Academy Mission

The King’s Academy is a Christ-centered school that inspires academic excellence, servant leadership, and enduring relationships.

The Value of Biblical Diversity at TKA

The King’s Academy, as a Christ-centered school, is determined to follow the teachings and example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and is called to be loving to all we interact with each and every day.

Believing that God has created all people in His image, The King’s Academy values and cultivates racial, cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity on campus. We recognize all persons are uniquely created by God and are given specific gifts and abilities which foster a well-rounded learning environment. We denounce the sin of racism, and we desire to create a community where students and staff from all racial and ethnic backgrounds feel welcomed and accepted. Ultimately, we desire to impact the diverse cultures of Silicon Valley and the world for the kingdom of God. – Psalm 139:14, Genesis 1:27, Galatians 3:28, and Acts 10:34-35

Ongoing Efforts

• TKA's Staff Diversity Council will meet periodically to discuss the climate on campus and any needed action steps to support Biblical Diversity.
• TKA will continue the ongoing assessment of our curriculum and make any relevant changes to incorporate racial and ethnic diversity, including specific learning objectives and outcomes that address racial perspectives, especially in literature, history, Bible courses. 
• TKA will incorporate professional development training on topics such as conflict & difficult conversations, racism, unconscious bias, etc. for faculty/staff at all levels. 
• TKA will offer programs to educate students and parents about racism and engage in supported dialogue about how to combat racism and discrimination. 
• TKA will review student events and programs to ensure they consider cultural customs and do not contribute to bias against any group. 
• TKA will hold activities/programs to celebrate multicultural diversity on campus and promote a school culture that emphasizes unity and belonging, where every student is seen and valued.
• TKA will support the formation of student-organized affinity group clubs where students can gather to learn about, celebrate, and share specific cultures or ethnic groups.
• TKA will develop an external and internal communication strategy to demonstrate the school’s commitment to the importance of diversity and which reflects our belief that all people are of equal worth in the sight of God. 
• TKA will expand its efforts to attract and enroll underrepresented students and will continue the Diversity Scholarship Fund.
• TKA will expand its efforts to employ underrepresented faculty and staff, especially in leadership positions. 
• TKA will prioritize local outreach service opportunities that specifically target disadvantaged populations.  
• TKA will create a network of strategic and diverse Christian ministry partners within the community. 
• TKA will continue to promote the StopIt app to the community for anonymous reporting of harassment in all forms, including racism, discrimination, and bullying. 

Note: "Ongoing" indicates that TKA has already taken steps on this action item but will incorporate new feedback and continue efforts each school year.

Guiding Biblical Principles for Seeking Unity Within Diversity

• All that we say and do with respect to race and ethnicity will reflect our commitment to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  Ephesians 2:19-22 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
   
• We will accept responsibility for our failures, graciously celebrate our successes, and humbly walk together in the spirit of love and forgiveness demonstrating an understanding that until we reach heaven we remain sinners in need of grace and mercy.
  Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
  Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
   
• TKA staff and faculty will take the primary lead in setting classroom instructional objectives and campus behavioral standards with parents as supportive partners. Parents take the lead in shaping Christian character in the lives of their children through active engagement in their local church and through serving in the school community as supportive partners.
  Proverbs 22:6 “Train up your child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
  Deuteronomy 6:6-9 “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
   
• We will seek to love one another by assuming the best possible motives when engaging in communication.
  1 Corinthians 13:7 “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
   
• When we believe someone has fallen short of these standards, we will follow the principles of Matthew 18 and confront them privately before confronting them publicly.  Regarding student conduct, TKA staff will confront any and all known racist incidents swiftly. TKA will follow the Student/Parent Handbook guidelines, taking actions to correct the behavior, with the objective of seeking redemption and growing Christlike character.
  II Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
  Matthew 18: 15-17 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

Thanks to The First Academy (Orlando, FL) for leading the way and generously sharing content on this topic.