Culture of Respect

Knox is a community of individuals with diverse identities who come from many different cultures and backgrounds. Since our founding in 1837, Knox students, faculty, and staff have worked together to explore, understand, and improve ourselves, our society, and our world.

We believe that a respectful and safe learning community is a shared responsibility, and we are committed to working collaboratively to foster a culture of respect on our campus. In our classrooms, living spaces, playing fields, and performance spaces, Knox students, faculty, and staff:

• Seek out those most different from us, listen to their stories, and endeavor to understand their experiences.
• Recognize that we may benefit from privilege because of aspects of our identity such as our age, race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, social class, background, beliefs, or ability.
• Build bridges across difference and listen respectfully to voices with which we disagree, to transform ourselves so that society in turn may be transformed.
• Challenge ourselves to be a place where diversity is accompanied by respect, inclusion, and full and equitable participation in every educational opportunity.

We believe that a culture of respect is one in which empathy, equity, inclusivity, and truth are valued and practiced. As members of the Knox community, we commit ourselves to ensure that our actions match our values.