‘Everyone should be kind’: Northern Ontario marks anti-bullying day

Pink shirts filled northern Ont. schools Wednesday as students joined a global anti-bullying movement, while police noted the behavior can escalate to a crime.

Pink shirts lined the halls of schools across Greater Sudbury and beyond this week as students and staff marked ccc an annual event dedicated to raising awareness about bullying prevention.

Originally sparked by an act of kindness between students in Nova Scotia, the day has grown into a global movement. For those within the schools, the visual display of solidarity sends a powerful message of safety and acceptance.

“Every student wants to be able to come to a school where they feel safe, where they feel accepted, where they feel comfortable, and where we all share kindness,” said Ryan Lafreniere, principal of Lockerby Composite School.

Movement born from solidarity

The global movement traces its roots back to 2007 in a small town. It began when a Grade 9 boy was bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school. In a powerful show of solidarity, a group of his classmates banded together and wore pink shirts the next day, launching what is now recognized worldwide as Pink Shirt Day.

For students today, participating in the event is both personal and profound. The feeling of walking through the halls and seeing peers united against bullying creates a sense of belonging and support.

“Someone who has previously been bullied, when you come to school and see everyone around you standing up against that, it’s a really great feeling,” said Brinley Evans, a Grade 10 student at Lockerby.

The need for such initiatives is underscored by data. According to the 2019 Canadian Community Health Survey on children and youth, 71 per cent of youth aged 12 to 17 reported experiencing at least one form of bullying in the previous year.

Younger students also shared their perspectives on the day’s core values.

“Pink shirt day it means kindness that everyone should show kindness to everyone,” said Godlye Sosa from St. David Catholic Elementary School. “And everyone should be treated how they want to be treated.”

Anjela George, another student at St. David’s, offered a direct message to bullies, warning that there are consequences to such behaviour.

“It’s not kind to bully,” she said. “If you bully someone and you ask them to play, they’re not gonna let you play.”

Non-profits, police join the fight

Beyond the schoolyards, community organizations are also standing up against bullying and harassment. In Sudbury, SQUAD, a non-profit supporting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, invited queer community members to design their own pink shirts, using the day as a platform for broader conversation and visibility.

“It’s based on the idea that we should not be bullying people and, to support those who have been bullied and ensure that people don’t get bullied in the future,” said Paul Pasanen, a social worker with Squad.

“It’s just an opportunity to talk about it and be more visible. It’s not specifically a 2SLGBTQ day, although, you know, we do, you know, acknowledge it for sure.”

Law enforcement in the region is also taking a stand in the global movement. For police, the terminology shifts from the schoolyard term to a legal one, highlighting the potential severity of such actions.

“Schools like to use the word bullying, and as police, we use the word criminal harassment, because bullying often leads to criminal behavior such as threats and intimidation and harassment and sometimes physical violence,” said Const. Alain Bernard, a school liaison officer with the North Bay Police Service.