Quaker Values Still Reign Supreme at Penn Charter

Upon my return from the 50th reunion of the William Penn Charter School class of 1973, my mother asked me if the institution’s Quaker tradition had changed over the years since I graduated.

“I don’t believe so,” I began.  “There is clearly a great deal of emphasis on the core beliefs of tolerance, fairness, honesty, nonviolence, and the basic equality of every person on Earth–and all this extends from the faculty, to the seniors, and down to the kindergarteners.”

During the course of events, the second grade class gave us alumni a presentation about the issues that surround food security.  As I told a friend after the presentation, “These kids are taught just a few basic things, like how to read at a 3rd or 4th grade level, and, just as importantly, be kind to everyone you meet.”

Perhaps what my mom was getting at was How “woke” is Penn Charter?  I explained that William Penn lives on in the company of people like Gandhi and MLK–one of the “kings of wokeness,” one might say.