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Reflections on Inclusive Excellence in an Israeli/Palestinian Context
by Dr. Lawrence Burnley, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Recently, I watched a news broadcast of an Israeli mother sharing her heart-wrenching
grief about the death of her son resulting from the attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians.
As a parent who has experienced the death of a son, my heart broke with hers. This
woman was asked how she felt about Palestinian mothers whose children were being
killed as the result of Israeli bombardment and the prevention of sorely needed
humanitarian supplies from entering Gaza. Without hesitation, this Israeli mother looked
up to the reporter and said, “The Palestinian mother and I are the same. There is no
difference.”
This Israeli mother reminds us of our shared humanity and our need to value one
another. Particularly, during a time of so much pain and suffering of innocent people on
both sides of a conflict which is rooted in complex historic, social, political, economic
and theological issues it is critical that we reflect on our core values of Diversity, Equity
and Inclusion. Despite the numerous ways we self-identify; despite the many and often
violent ways our divisions and notions of self-interest find expression in various forms of
violence, we are, according to this Israeli mother, “...the same. There is no difference.”
Members of our Shaker Heights City School District have familial ties and other close
connections on both sides of the conflict in Israel and Palestine. I invite us to consider,
perhaps even remember, that we, at the end of the day “...are the same.” In the spirit
of our commitment to achieve educational equity, inclusive excellence and justice for all
people, let us consider these historic words of wisdom:
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In South Africa, there is a Zulu proverb called Ubuntu that says: “I am a person through other people. My humanity is tied to yours.” Archbishop Desmond Tutu explained it this way: “One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu — the essence of being human.”
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Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ (All Are Related) is a phrase from the Lakota language. It reflects the world view of interconnectedness held by the Lakota people of North America. “The indigenous understanding has its basis of spirituality in a recognition of the interconnectedness and interdependence of all living things, a holistic and balanced view of the world.” – Rebecca Adamson
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“In a real sense all life is interrelated. All [people] are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be...This is the inter-related structure of reality.” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Aligned with and informed by our commitment to equity and inclusive excellence, let us
strengthen our commitment to achieve and secure justice, basic human rights and
humane treatment for all Israelis, Palestinians and all persons within and far beyond our
school district. Let us see within “others” extensions of ourselves. Let us be resolute in
our commitment to hold all people, including ourselves, accountable when we fail to
advance policies and practices that assures access to basic human rights and humane
treatment for all people. “Excellence is Inclusive” must not be a slogan but a core value
and practice that accurately describes our co-existence.
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