The Pink Shirt Day event is a national movement that aims to counter bullying that can occur in our schools, our universities, our workplaces and through social media.
This day is now highlighted across Canada following an incident that happened at Central Kings Rural High School in Nova Scotia in 2007. On the first day of school, students verbally abused a Grade 9 student and threatened to beat him up because he was wearing a pink shirt. Fortunately, two Grade 12 students decided not to tolerate these behaviors around them. Specifically, David Shepherd and Travis Price bought 50 pink sweaters and distributed them to their classmates hoping to create a “pink sea” the next day at school to support the student who had been bullied. The news spread, and many others wore their own pink jerseys to stop bullying.
This story got a national advertisement. Pink Shirt Day has been gaining popularity ever since. It is normally celebrated on the last Wednesday of February each year. Pink Shirt Day is an excellent response to the perishable problem of bullying. For too long, intimidation was thought to be a rite of passage. Today, passivity and defeatism have given way to a much more dynamic approach to ending the serious harm that bullying can cause to young people.
Show your commitment to creating welcoming, caring, respectful and safe environments that respect diversity and foster a sense of belonging by:
- Wearing pink on February 28
- Using social media with the hashtag #journéechandailrose
- Organizing and participating in Pink Shirt Day events
Resources for the promotion of 2018 Pink Sweater Day are available in French on the Alberta Education website.