Equity and Justice are the foundation of the Roeper Philosophy as described and defined by the school’s founders Annemarie and George Roeper. Diversity, inclusion, equity and justice are not standalone concepts that pay lip service to current trends in contemporary culture. Rather these values are integral to everything we do at and for the school.

Justice requires that we respect the dignity and worth of every individual by providing equality of opportunity for those to whom opportunities have been historically denied. We believe that our cooperative community respects and embraces diversity thereby emphasizing the relationship between the individual and the community. In discussing the dynamic relationship between the individual and the community at Roeper, the school’s philosophy states, “This interrelationship is founded upon respecting the inherent dignity of every human being; believing in human rights for all people…embracing the beauty of diversity; positively valuing differences;’ and “recognizing the essential interdependence of all living things.” We value the voices of all members of our community. We continue to work at creating an environment that is safe and welcoming to all—a place where everyone feels represented and heard.

The Roeper School admits students without regard to ethnicity, gender, cultural background, religion or sexual orientation, and entitles them to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Candlelight Walk
This annual event, open to the public, is an evening devoted to celebrating the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.  This event has taken place at the Bloomfield Hills Campus in the Martin Luther King, Jr., Domes for the last 30 years. For more information on this January event, contact Michelle.Stamler@roeper.org or Carolyn.Lett@roeper.org.

Diversity Film Series
In March 2006 we began our Diversity Film Series. Members of our school diversity committee saw a film festival as an ideal way to showcase a wide range of writers, directors, actors and stories that celebrate diversity as well as an outreach to communities beyond Roeper. Past films have included The Cleaning Lady, The Grace Lee Project, Detroit Unleaded and Shalom Y’all. Films are shown on Saturday evenings in the Acheson Theater at the Birmingham campus except for one family matinee each season, shown on a Saturday afternoon in the Big Dome at the Bloomfield Hills campus. For further information please contact sue.williams@roeper.org or jarie.ruddy@roeper.org.

Diversity Day
At our Middle and Upper School Campus, students participate in workshops showcasing the diversity of our faculty, staff, student body, and diversity practioners from outside of Roeper.  At the Lower School in Bloomfield Hills, students participate in various activities designed to celebrate each student’s uniqueness and identity. Students and staff attend an assembly that highlights the diverse talents of our school community. A potluck lunch is shared with homerooms and their buddy homerooms that reflect their families’ cultures or histories.

Black History Month
Students from our diversity group, UMOJA, take the lead every February to highlight the accomplishments of different African Americans with the use of posters, videos and other media.

An Evening Devoted to Diversity
Parents are encouraged to attend various talks that deal with the issues confronting both students and parents in our community.