Why is my child being asked to wear an orange shirt?

Think back to just a month ago when your children were getting dressed for their first day of school. You had, more than likely, purchased them some new clothes, maybe something that they had picked out because they were excited for the first day. Now imagine finding out your children being stripped of these new clothes and never seeing them again.

This is what happened to a young girl at a residential school in the 1970s. Her grandmother had scraped together enough money to buy a shiny, new orange shirt with "string laced up in front, and (it) was so bright and exciting", just how this six-year-old girl felt for her first day of school. She never saw the shirt again.

Orange Shirt Day originated three years ago on September 30 as part of residential school commemoration project in B.C. They used this young girl's story as part of a legacy of the project and now communities across Canada are taking part.

St. Paul Education has joined the Orange Shirt Day tradition this year and is encouraging all of its students and staff to wear an orange shirt on Friday, September 30. Our schools' staff has been participating in the Blue Quills Residential School (now Blue Quills University) tours for a number of years and the Board of Trustees will be participating next week.

It is important for residential school survivors and their families to heal and it is important for all of us to recognize this part of Canada's history and how it has affected generations of First Nation, Metis and Inuit children. We all need to be a part of this healing journey. This is part of reconciliation. You can learn more about how you can get involved at the Truth and Reconciliation website here.