Greenwich High School Recognized as a ‘No Place for Hate’ School

Information via Greenwich Public Schools

GREENWICH, CT — Greenwich High School recently received a "No Place for Hate (NPFH)" designation by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), according to a news release from the school district.

According to the ADL, eight Connecticut schools were recognized for their commitment to promoting equitable and respectful learning environments, designating them as NPFH schools. These are the first schools in the state to have participated and completed ADL’s NPFH program. In the coming year, the ADL will be expanding the initiative into a greater number of communities across the region.

"It truly was a team effort to bring this designation to Greenwich High School - under the tutelage of Mr. Bowbeer and Ms. Pugliese, the advisors, who did a tremendous job moving us forward, headed in the right direction, and focused on the end goal - bringing No Place for Hate to Greenwich High School," said GHS Dean of Student Life, Thomas Pereira, in a news release. "The student committee was also instrumental as they did a tremendous job of putting together a website, getting the activities up and running, and making those all-important morning announcements signifying what No Place for Hate is and its importance at our school. I'm immensely proud of the team's efforts, especially during a Pandemic."

According to the ADL, NPFH first launched in Connecticut in 2019-2020 with a pilot program at Hamden High School. Since the full launch of the program in the Fall of 2020, students, teachers, and administrators from each school completed a series of school-wide initiatives designed to build more inclusive and equitable communities.

"As part of their participation schools were required to form a committee, host a school-wide pledge signing, and hold at least three activities that involve active learning that focus on recognizing differences and promoting respect," according to the ADL.

To commemorate this achievement, each school will be awarded with a banner to mark their commitment to NPFH. The eight schools to complete the program since it launched are: Hamden High School, Hamden Middle School, and Hamden Hall Country Day School; Trumbull High School; Ridgefield High School; Greenwich High School; Gideon Welles School in Glastonbury; and Fairfield College Preparatory School.

"I am enormously proud of the commitment these eight schools made to keep their school communities focused on addressing bias and bullying in the midst of a global pandemic," said ADL Connecticut Education Director Michelle Pincince in a news release. "Educating our young people is an important step towards eradicating hate. In the coming year, we hope to expand the initiative’s outreach to more schools in our region to ensure that Connecticut will be No Place for Hate."