Orange Shirt Day

What

Orange Shirt Day

When

9/30/2020

CDSBEO is proud to join in with voices across Canada to commemorate our 3rd Annual Orange Shirt Day. Because of the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the truth of the experiences of our Indigenous people in residential schools has come to light in recent years. We are called by the 94 Calls to Action from the TRC to teach this history in an age-appropriate way. It is in acknowledging this dark period of our country’s past that we can work towards reconciliation.

CDSBEO is committed to this work. This year, we will honour the survivors and the victims of residential schools on Wednesday, September 30th across our board through activities, knowledge-sharing and reflections. This work is meant to honour both the survivors, those who didn't survive, and those who suffer from inter-generational trauma inflicted upon Indigenous peoples through the residential school system.

As a caution in doing this work, before any discussion of this topic is started, we want to be sure that you, the parents, are aware that the information is being discussed in your child’s classroom. We want to honour families by allowing them to tell their own story at home before the subject is brought up at school. We also request that parents follow age-appropriate topics for discussion at home. One of the concerns involved in commemorating this event board-wide is the inherent risk of re-victimizing or triggering students who either suffer from intergenerational trauma or who have been traumatized in his/her past.

Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St Joseph Mission (SJM) Residential School (1891-1981) Commemoration Project and Reunion that took plance in Williams Lake, BC, in May 2013. As spokesperson for the Reunion group leading up to the events, former student Phyllis (Jack) Webstad told her story of her first day at residential school when her shiny new orange shirt, bought by her grandmother, was taken from her as a six-year old girl. (More information about the history of this day can be found at http://www.orangeshirtday.org/about.html). Senator (formerly Chief Justice) Murray Sinclair challenged all of the participants to keep the reconciliation process alive...

A sincere thank you for your support of our work. These are important steps to understanding the need for and the goal of achieving reconciliation. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your school Principal or [email protected] or [email protected] .