VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It’s time to dig that pink shirt out of the back of your closet and take a stand against bullying.
Everyone from RCMP officers to firefighters are wearing pink today to send the message that bullying isn’t tolerated.
Students from all over BC are wearing pink as well and Bully Beware Founder Cindi Seddon says it’s a good way to get them talking.
“I think wearing our pink shirts one day a year is a great thing, but we need to think pink,” Seddon tells News1130. “We need to be pink. We need to understand that this not a one day phenomenon.”
The idea was started in Nova Scotia in 2007 when several students showed up at school in pink shirts to support a classmate who had been bullied.
“Most of the activities are student driven with staff support,” says Vancouver School Board Vice-Chair Mike Lombardi. “By and large, each school is finding a way to send the message which is acceptance for all and promoting a good, safe learning environment.”
Seddon says today isn’t just about children and teenagers; it’s also about educating parents.
“If you’re wondering about whether your child is being aggressive online, we really encourage parents to know what their children’s passwords are,” she says.
“We also encourage them to be their friend on Facebook so they can keep an eye on what they’re doing. Also, notice aggressive tendencies going on at home if they’re changing their friendship groups. I tell parents regularly if you think there’s something going on with your child, then you need to do some research on it.”
Premier Christy Clark will be wearing pink when she speaks to students at Point Grey Secondary School in Vancouver this afternoon.
Weather Guarantee
News1130 Apps
Tell us what you think!
Insiders Club
what a load of crap. They have had bullying since the beginning of time. Society needs to stop coddling these kids and teach them to stand up for them selves.
Yeah Lisa. Tell them to start packing guns! Fight that fire with fire – always works.
Sure, let’s allow the psychological abuse to perpetuate and turn into long-term damage! Really? While I agree that there is too much “codling” of kids these days such that they grow up expecting the world to bow to them (current attitude of “entitlement” in today’s kids makes that abundantly clear), we need to address the physical and mental attacks, both to avoid damage to others and to deal with the attitudes or issues within the bullyer!
Let’s talk about the BC Liberals and CC4BC, both of which put out ads which demean Adrian Dix and the NDP.
Let’s talk about Kevin Krueger, who yesterday responded to an e-mail from the BC Conservatives and called them “MORONS” and “IDIOTS”.
Let’s talk about the BC Liberals, who for 12 years have bullied teachers, park workers, hospital workers and nurses and torn up their contracts.
Let’s talk about Christy Clark, who claims to have started Pink Shirt Day, but she actually stole the idea from two fine gentlement from Nova Scotia.
If you want to talk about bullying, let’s start at the top and look at our ruling government…the biggest bullies of them all!!!
Of course the NDP would NEVER engage in any such tactics…
“Many schools are focusing on cyber-bullying” you can put an end to this specific form at any time, simply unplug, do not respond, walk away from your device, etc, etc… how is this even part of the problem with such an easy logical solution available?
To offer such a simplistic view leads me to believe that you would minimize the difficulty for a woman to leave an abusing husband to “just walk out of the house”. It is not that simple. People need their communications devices. The problem is more psychological than you give it credit for. I work with youth. I understand it. I don’t always understand them, but I do understand a lot of the struggles they go through. I remember being their age. The bullying is the same. The delivery mechanisms are simply now more sophisticated, and more prevalent. Have a heart!
It’s actually about building awareness and reminding people to keep anti-bullying top of mind. If it stops one bully or helps one kid not feel alone, I’m into that.
no, thank you. I’m not into meaningless, feel-good gestures.
I support your right to not participate!