Tradition is one of the many pillars Groton School stands for. But should we keep certain facets of the school just for the sake of tradition?

Well, we certainly haven’t in the past. From an all-boys Episcopal school, Groton has evolved into a co-ed, ethnically and religiously diverse community. These changes could not have come without changes to school policy.

Policy should be able to change according to the needs of the Circle. Our community is becoming increasingly secular, as seen in the surge of attendance at Buddhist Sangha – a popular choice for the non-religious. However, the School excludes the atheist students by not implementing a non-religious Sunday commitment.

A non-religious commitment would make the school even more inclusive, and, since inclusivity is often considered the backbone of this school, incorporating a commitment for non- religious Grotonians seems appropriate. Our Groton careers are based heavily on tradition and spirituality, which are enforced through daily chapel and weekend religious services. So why is institutionalized religion often considered the only way to practice spirituality?

The main purpose of a required religious service is to embrace spirituality and reflect on the week. But surely a school like Groton can recognize that religion is not the only way to attain that.

Community service is the best alternative to religious services. Community service not only allows students to reflect and give back, but it also teaches humility and kindness in real-life situations – an opportunity that doesn’t come often at Groton. For a school whose motto is “cui servire, est regnare,” community service opportunities are scarce. Sure, we have Our Father’s House once a week, but only a small group attends, and this group always seems to consist of the same people. And yes, students can choose community service as an afternoon activity, but only if they give up sports, theater, or dance. Why is it so hard for a school that stands for service to provide opportunities for students to help the community?

        As a student who chose Groton for its community service initiative, I would like to see more community engagement, and Sundays would be the ideal day for those who wish to participate. Once-a-term community service requirements merely scrape the surface. Many students see service days as an escape from campus to hang out with friends; they focus on the time instead of the service. This complacent behavior is unreasonable in a school with values such as Groton’s.

        A community service opportunity as part of the religious commitment requirement would offer students who are interested in community service an opportunity to serve, while still fulfilling the weekly requirement for a spiritual and reflective experience.

Don’t get me wrong – religion, for those who wish to practice it, is great, but why force students to partake in these commitments without their interest? If students were to pursue a humble activity that piqued their interest, the benefits of reflection would increase substantially, given that the students would make a more conscious effort to participate.

Adding a community service opportunity as part of the religious commitments on Sunday would include a large part of the school and help our community. This would exemplify the school motto, and, like religion, represent another part of Groton history.