The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Dale Kirby, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development:
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this Honourable House to recognize today as Pink Shirt Day.
Pink Shirt Day is an international movement which brings awareness to bullying, how it affects all of us, and what we can do to prevent it. This year’s theme is “Nice Needs No Filter.”
Pink Shirt Day is being celebrated by students across the province. This morning I had the pleasure of participating in an assembly at Larkhall Academy and I was amazed at the enthusiasm and kindness on display. Students, teachers and staff, all wearing pink, celebrated friendship and created an important awareness that violence and bullying is not acceptable in any form.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that people subjected to violence and bullying know they are not alone and there is help and support available to them. To help with these efforts, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has provided $13,000 shared amongst 32 schools through the Safe and Inclusive Awards. These awards recognize the efforts of schools in establishing and maintaining safe, caring and inclusive learning environments, promoting effective actions to create positive school climates, and sustaining safe and caring communities. Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients.
Ensuring all students throughout Newfoundland and Labrador have a positive, safe and caring environment in which to learn is a priority for our government. Our Safe and Caring Schools Policy helps to establish this through school-based protocols and practices that challenge all forms of bullying, harassment, and inappropriate behaviour.
Mr. Speaker, if we all make an effort to act with kindness toward one another we have the potential to make a difference in people’s lives and to provide the example we want modeled by children and youth. One kind word can change someone’s entire day.
I ask all Honourable members to join me in celebrating Pink Shirt Day and to share the importance of being kind to others each and every day.
Thank you.
Pink Shirt Day Encourages Kindness