A Message From Kathleen O'Neill Jamieson

As you may know, the Washington National Cathedral Choir is scheduled to sing this weekend at two events connected to the presidential inauguration. This has been the subject of some discussion and misunderstanding over the weekend, and I want to clarify how the choir came to these performances.

 

The choir is a function of the Cathedral, rather than of National Cathedral School or St. Albans School. It traditionally performs at a National Prayer Service for the new president in the Cathedral, which will be held this year on Jan. 21. This November, Cathedral Dean Randy Hollerith received an invitation for the choir to perform also at the Jan. 20 inauguration, and he and Bishop Mariann Budde accepted it.

 

I urged the dean and the bishop to reconsider having our children participate in this particular transition of power, given that many in our community see it as in conflict with our school values of excellence, service, courage, and conscience. This was a rare occasion in my 14 years of working collaboratively with colleagues at the Cathedral where we did not agree.

 

I do appreciate that Dean Hollerith agreed to allow students to choose whether to participate in the inauguration. It is important that NCS women were empowered with that decision, in consultation with their parents. As I have told the choristers in person, we respect the judgments that resulted, and we support each of our students; there are many ways to light a candle for our country.

 

I am moved by the love and respect and support for NCS expressed by our alumnae. The messages to me and others on the Close are testaments to what this important school means to women. I hope that I will see many of you on Saturday, when we will open Woodley North to alumnae following the Women's March. Please join us at NCS from 3:30 to 5:00 pm.

 

Sincerely,

Kathleen O'Neill Jamieson
Head of School
National Cathedral School

Click here for a related message from the head of the Governing Board.