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Orange Shirt Day - Monday, October 1st
Published on Sep 30, 2018 19:29

Orange Shirt Day is a day that has become an opportunity to keep the discussion open on all aspects of residential schools.  Orange Shirt Day this year is on September 30th.  Canadian Martyr's community will participate in our Orange Shirt Day on Monday October 1st.  Students and staff are encouraged to wear an orange shirt on that day. The following links will give you some background information regarding the history and intent of the day.  Please feel free to use these to provide some background information in your classroom leading up to and on Orange Shirt day to increase awareness in our school community.


Background: Orange Shirt Day is the legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) residential school commemoration event held in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in the spring of 2013.  It grew out of Phyllis' story of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at the Mission.

The date was chosen because it is the time of year in which children were taken from their homes to residential schools, and because it is an opportunity to set the stage for anti-racism and anti-bullying policies for the coming school year.  It also gives teachers time to plan events that will include children, as we want to ensure that we are passing the story and learning on to the next generations.

Orange Shirt Day is also an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come.