Honouring Truth and Reconciliation: SBA’s Commitment to Orange Shirt Day

Every year on September 30th, our school joins the nation in observing Orange Shirt Day. It is a day to honour the Indigenous children who survived the residential school system. This day serves as an opportunity for every student to learn, reflect, and commit to the journey of Truth and Reconciliation.

The History of Orange Shirt Day in Canada: 

Orange Shirt Day stems from the story of Phyllis Webstad, a Secwepemc woman from the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation (Canoe Creek Indian Band). On her first day at a residential school in 1973, Phyllis was six years old. She arrived wearing a bright new orange shirt gifted by her grandmother. When her clothes were taken away, that shirt symbolized how her culture was also stripped away.

Phyllis's story, shared publicly in 2013, highlighted the devastating impact of the residential school system. This was a government sponsored system that forcibly removed over 150,000 Indigenous children from their families to assimilate them into dominant Canadian culture.The effects of this systemic abuse and genocide are still felt by so many today. Orange Shirt Day became a movement to ensure that every child matters and that the tragic history of residential schools is never forgotten. In 2021, this day was officially recognized as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a federal statutory holiday.

Our School’s Call to Action: 

In support of Orange Shirt day, everyone was encouraged to wear an orange shirt. As our school does every year, a fundraiser to support the Orange Shirt Society was held. This non-profit organization, founded by Phyllis Webstad helps educate and spread the word that "Every Child Matters”. A presentation was also held by our wonderful principal, Ms. Cosentino, discussing the importance of learning about Orange Shirt Day and steps we can take towards reconciliation. Through this presentation, we learned a lot about the contributions of Todd Jamieson to the YCDSB community.