Edmund Burke School

About

Burke is a progressive, urban, co-ed college-prep school for 300 students in grades 6-12. Located in Washington DC, Burke offers challenging academics, exceptional arts, championship sports and meaningful service learning.

Story

In 1968, during a time when educational philosophies and practices were being questioned, it became clear to Burke's founders that a more egalitarian, democratic and participatory approach would make for a better school environment and more successful students.

They started with the idea that an important goal of education should be to cultivate a sense of civic responsibility. For inspiration, they looked to British statesman Edmund Burke, who spoke for those whose rights were denied in his support of the American Revolution and his opposition to slavery. The quote attributed to him, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing," is still an inspiration to us today.

Mission

Edmund Burke School consciously brings together students who are different from one another in many ways, actively engages them in their own education, has high expectations for them, gives them power and responsibility, and supports and advances their growth as skilled and independent thinkers who step forward to make positive contributions to the world in which they live.