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Brother's efforts to pay it forward blocked

June 03, 2009 17:06

Brother's efforts to pay it forward blocked

Recently, my ten-year-old brother, who attends Alliston Union Public School, received a project. The goal was to raise awareness or funds for a worthy cause; trying to broaden the students' horizons about world issues, and show them that they each have a voice in the world, and every one of them can make a change.

Some students held bake sales. Another collected books and soccer balls for African orphans, but my brother decided he wanted to raise awareness for Canada's troops.

He had it all planned out. On Fri., May 29, he would encourage the school to wear red to show their support.

He made posters and hung them up all around the school, he wrote something about it to say over the announcements in the morning, and my parents took him shopping to buy things to put into a prize pack, so that everyone who wore red could put their name in a draw.

On Tues., May 26 the principal of the school went around and took down the posters. She told his teacher that it was only limited to their classroom.

My very disappointed mother called the school, wanting to know the reason for her taking down the posters and not allowing him to do the project he wanted. She said that since his class were the ones learning about the military, they should be the ones to experience the project, not the entire school.

My mom explained to her that they weren't learning about the troops, that it was a project to raise awareness for any cause and that was the one he chose. She then said that the military was not in the curriculum of the school. But neither were any of the projects the students did, raising money for causes like African orphans or the humane society.

She also said that she felt many of the younger students wouldn't understand it.

I feel this is underestimating the students of AUPS, and even if the very young children didn't understand it, it wasn't hurting them in any way. They wouldn't wear red, and that's all that would happen.

However, every year the students from all grades do learn about Remembrance Day, so they would at least somewhat understand.

The Royal Canadian Legion also supports the school's breakfast program, attends their Remembrance Day service every year, and supports their speech program.

Being a former student of Alliston Union, I was very disappointed, as were the rest of my family, to hear that my brother wasn't given the opportunity to spread the word and raise awareness for all our troops, and everything the do for us.

We are still trying to raise awareness and encourage everyone to wear red on Friday to show your support.

Wearing red on Fridays is not a political matter. We're not supporting the war, or where the troops are, it's just a way to show respect for everything they do for us. Without them, Canada wouldn't be as amazing a country as it is today, and I respect all people who contributed to it; be it the military, their families, or any civilians who support them.

Becca Nicol,
age 16,
Alliston

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