Belonging statement
The National English Honor Society believes that the free expression of diverse experiences can powerfully, and positively, transform our world. By engaging with inclusive literature and elevating the voices of marginalized writers through our annual Common Readers, guest speakers, and Creative Challenges, we support diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging practices in our classrooms and our communities.
The National English Honor Society encourages student members and Chapter Advisors to reflect upon social constructs around age, citizenship status, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, geography, national origin, physical traits, race, religion, sexual orientation, skin color, and socioeconomic status by ensuring that the literature we read and the projects we support recognize the diversity of our global community.
We acknowledge our advances while recognizing the need to engage in further work to expand our efforts to support diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging among our student members, Chapter Advisors, Advisory Council, and Central Office staff, ensuring that all NEHS members are supported, empowered, celebrated, and able to embrace their authentic selves in all aspects of NEHS chapter life.
Freedom to Read statement
NEHS is an inclusive organization that celebrates diversity and encourages members to engage in critical thinking by analyzing different perspectives within literary works, including those which have historically been underrepresented. We firmly believe engagement with a wide range of literature allows members to further explore and express their passion for literature and creativity and thereby develop empathy, compassion, and societal awareness.
NEHS believes that literature has the capacity to challenge, provoke, and inspire, and we fully celebrate its countless forms. NEHS upholds the principles of intellectual freedom by opposing censorship, and any attempt to limit access to texts is vehemently rejected by NEHS.
We hold a deep respect for the academic autonomy of NEHS Chapter Advisors and respect and uphold their right, as professional educators, to select and recommend texts they believe will best serve the needs and interests of their students, will stimulate their critical thinking, and will reflect the diversity of their community.
