As director of the ACLU Racial Justice Program, civil rights attorney Dennis Parker focuses on educational inequity. “My work is informed by the recognition that I had extraordinary opportunities when I was at RCDS,” he explains.
Dennis has not only carried that knowledge out into the world, but also has turned it back on RCDS. He is currently serving his second term on the RCDS Board of Trustees, after serving an initial term from 1995 to 2004. He admits he has witnessed many institutional changes since his student days–the physical plant is more unified, and the facilities more comprehensive.
But the most important shift, Dennis asserts, is the enhanced focus on inclusion and diversity. “I was the only student of color in my class, and today those numbers have changed dramatically. And it’s not just a question of changing numbers, but also a recognition that the School is made stronger by a community composed of diverse racial, social, and economic backgrounds.” Maintaining diversity will always be an important challenge, he continues, but Rye Country Day is committed to meeting that challenge.
Headmaster Scott Nelson is also intent on instilling a sense of service, says Dennis, something that makes him quite happy. “I’m proud that our motto, ‘Not for Self, but for Service,’ is viewed as a necessary component for our school. Giving back is important.”
“What I learned at Rye Country Day changed my life,” he concludes. “My education involved the human aspect of things and quality of life issues, which I would argue is at least as important as whether you learn calculus. I don’t see myself as a superstar intellect, but I had opportunities at RCDS that I wouldn’t otherwise have gotten, and that has made all the difference.”