The Langley School District is heading into next week with more than just Pink Shirt Day in mind.
Pink Shirt Day will be recognized throughout Langley schools on Wednesday, but a few years ago the school district took the anti-bullying initiative one step further by implementing Diversity and Respect Week.
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In 2017, the Langley School District established the week-long initiative to coincide with Pink Shirt Day “to promote awareness, acceptance, reconciliation and inclusion, for all members of the school community,” explained Renge Bailie, district principal of student support services.
“During this week, students and staff all over the district will be taking part in events and activities that highlight different cultures, promote peace, inclusion and other positive themes that foster an inclusive and accepting culture,” Bailie said.
A leadership group known as Peacock Pride at Dorothy Peacock Elementary is encouraging students to wear a different colour each day of the week: blue for anti-cyberbullying, pink for anti-bullying, orange to honour Indigenous heritage, and rainbow colour to represent accepting everyone.
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“Many of the events and activities are student driven,” said Bailie. “It’s a week where students get to take initiative and come up with activities to raise awareness of diversity and respect, in a way that speaks to their peers.”
Schools are welcome to discuss the concepts of diversity and respect or adopt the theme of ‘Be an Ally.’
”The concept of being an ally is a universal goal for how we treat each other,” Bailie noted.
This year’s Pink Shirt Day theme is ‘Lift each other up.’
@JotiGrewal_
joti.grewal@blackpress.ca
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