Diversity in a cup of tea

A week ago, while scanning my inbox, I noticed a rather strange announcement from a student club:

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Dear Students,
I'm sorry I didn't let you all know earlier, but we have a tea club meeting at the same time and place this week. The subject will be determinism and theological fatalism. It's a good topic, I think you should stop by. 

Sincerely,
Brice Frierson

A group of students, of their own free-will (ha!), discussing theological fatalism? I’ve been out of the classroom for a while, but I would have to say this was an outlier.  The Tea Club, as I discovered later, was a student organized club (comprised primarily of Sophomores) with the following mission:

Tea club offers students a comfortable, civil and respectful atmosphere to discuss philosophical and political topics over a hot cup of tea.

The world could certainly use more of this. I was intrigued, so I dropped by to see it in action.

As I walked in the door of Dr. deGravelles' room, the conversation was underway. About ten students had arranged desks in a circle of sorts. One student would pose a question about the topic; “what do you think”, or, “what does this mean,” were par for the course. Other students would respond, some informing their answers from their faith or using logical arguments and reason to stake out a position. Positions were challenged and rebutted, but with unusual grace for teenagers.

​The topic was interesting, yes, but the subtle action occurring below the surface of the conversation gave me hope for the future. Ideologically, the students in the room represented opinions ranging from conservative to liberal. Their religious backgrounds varied. Some were athletes, some were not. Some were budding artists and some were quiet students on the campus and in the classroom. They were a cross-section of Episcopal. They didn’t necessarily agree on any conclusion and challenged each other, but they remained in the room, at the table, engaged and listening.

I was fortunate to witness the powerful combination of student interest coupled with the excellent coaching of club sponsors, Dr. Khun and Dr. deGravelles. This thirty minute club meeting was demonstrating to those involved that diversity of thought and civility is foundational to the discussion and understanding of ideas.

I’d imagine if you ask most of the members of tea club why they participate, you would get a range of answers. For some, it’s a place to be heard, for others a place to learn about new ideas, or it might be a place where they feel they belong. The same holds true for the broader Episcopal community. Faculty, staff, students, administrators, and parents all bring unique perspectives to the table.  Diversity of thought, experience, and culture make our community stronger, #StrongeruKnighted.

 Our willingness to engage in thoughtful dialogue when faced with a contentious issue builds our faith in each other and opens up possibilities for greater understanding. I am delighted to suggest that we all take a page from the example of ten or so Sophomores at Episcopal, who spend 30 minutes, every so often, in a civil and respectful atmosphere to discuss philosophical and political topics over a hot cup of tea.

Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts!

​#Episcopalreads

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Jason Hubbard

Jason joined the Episcopal team in 2003 and serves as the Associate Head of School. During his time at Episcopal, Jason has worked in almost every area of school life, including the arts. Jason earned a BM in Music Education from Pittsburg State University, a MM in Choral Conducting from the University of Oklahoma, and a graduate certificate in Administration and Supervision from The Johns Hopkins University.