Pink Shirt Day – February 28, 2024
On Wednesday, February 28, 2024, all HWDSB students and staff are encouraged to wear a pink
shirt or display the colour pink, in honour of Pink Shirt Day, a day to raise awareness and stand up against bullying.
Pink Shirt (or Anti-Bullying) Day is an annual, national effort to unite and show we are against bullying. The importance of Pink Shirt Day originates from Nova Scotia in 2007, when a student was bullied for wearing a pink shirt on the first day of school. Two fellow students took a stand and encouraged peers to also wear pink to school in solidarity.
At HWDSB, we believe in building and maintaining a positive culture to support well-being. This year, we emphasize a focus to “Lift Each Other Up.” By building positive relationships with our peers, we can foster safe and caring school communities that support and uplift those who have been impacted by bullying.
Pink Shirt Day 2024 marks the first year that HWDSB is recognizing this event with our 2023-2028 Multi-Year Strategic Plan in place, with a new mission that sets out to ensure every student experiences a sense of belonging. This mission is underpinned by new Strategic Directions, including one that strives to Uphold Human Rights, Safety & Well-Being. This notion means HWDSB is committed to supporting all students and staff to feel safe and secure in our classrooms and school communities, and it is more important than ever to build these environments.
This year, schools across HWDSB are participating in classroom lessons that teach students about the history of Pink Shirt Day, and resources they can use to support themselves and their peers. Let us use this day as a reminder of the power we have to create positive change, and that we all have a role to play in creating safe and inclusive environments for everyone.
Here are some other ways students and staff can participate in Pink Shirt Day:
- Proudly wear a pink shirt or display pink
- Start a conversation about kindness and inclusion
- Design your own pink shirt logos or slogans
- Create an anti-bullying school banner for all students and staff to sign
- Practice random acts of kindness all day long
- Have a class discussion around what “kindness starts here” looks like in the classroom
- Visit pinkshirtday.ca to learn more
Thank you for considering wearing a pink shirt or displaying pink and encouraging an environment where we can lift each other up.
Gerry Smith, Superintendent of Student Achievement and Safe Schools Lead
Updated on Monday, February 26, 2024.