It all started when two Nova Scotia high-school students took a stand against bullying.
David Shepherd and Travis Price saw a Grade 9 boy at their school being bullied and harassed. They said 'enough is enough' and protested the bullying by distributing pink T-shirts to all the boys in their school. The message was loud and clear - bullying is wrong and would not be tolerated any more.
The movement gained steam seemingly overnight, and the next day at school, the students handed out the pink T-shirts. When the Grade 9 boy walked in the door and saw the show of solidarity and the outpouring of support from his fellow students, we can only imagine what he must have been feeling. It probably changed his life. Going from one day feeling the lowest of lows, this student went to feeling the highest of highs knowing that other students had his back and that he wasn't alone in his fight.
And the bullies who picked on that student were never heard from again.
Flash forward to next Wednesday, Feb. 23. You can show your support for this important cause on Pink Shirt Day.
Here on the Sunshine Coast, School District No. 46 is leading the way in promoting an anti-bullying message. Recently elementary students, trustees and senior management attending Highway 46, a student-focused talkback session, and put on their pink T-shirts in a show of solidarity for the cause. Next Wednesday, students throughout the District will wear pink again.
And on Wednesday at Chatelech, students are sponsoring an assembly presentation by Blue Wave. The theme is 'there's no health without mental health.' The purpose is to encourage young people to acknowledge and discuss mental health issues among teens, and thereby reduce the risk of teen suicide. The presentation will involve testimonials by young people who have struggled with and overcome mental health issues.
This is a tremendous movement by the Chat students and we applaud them and all the students, teachers and administrators of SD46 for their positive messages and stance on bullying.
We can't stress enough how important Pink Shirt Day is, but the cause is something that should be in our minds every day, not just one day of the year. Bullying continues to be a major problem in our schools, places of work, homes and over the Internet. So while you are thinking pink next Wednesday, also think about ways we can stop bullying in our society - for good.
