Just days after the end of an American presidential race that was riddled with accusations of personal attacks, racist remarks, and online bullying, students with the London area's two school boards are doing their part to denounce that type of behaviour.
The sixth annual Pledge to End Bullying campaign kicked off on Thursday at the Covent Garden Market. The London-born initiative promotes a bullying-free community with Brockville and Kingston joining four other cities in the fight.
Ross Hodgeson, a drama teacher at Huron Park Secondary School in Woodstock, said the hateful remarks spewed by Donald Trump during the US election became a hot topic in the classroom.
"We have had many discussions on what it means to be kind, what it means to build a community and how this political figure stood up for everything that we didn't want to represent in Canada," said Hodgeson. "It was very interesting some of the stories, ideas, and beliefs that the students came in with that they wanted to make sure that they weren't following him as an example."
This year's campaign offers a new anti-bullying theme every month with a special focus on cyberbullying.
"We have to get our students to stand up for themselves and support and be kind to each other. We need to build a new community where everyone feels like they belong," said Hodgeson.
Students from various high schools throughout the Thames Valley District School Board and the London District Catholic School Board recited the pledge at the kickoff event. They were joined by teachers, local New Democrat MPP Peggy Sattler, and London police Constable Sandasha Bough.
"Children will look up to the adults but will also be the ones who are telling them 'excuse me but that's not right and that's not how we treat our fellow colleagues.' These are the people that are going to be bringing about the change and that's why taking the pledge is so important," said Monique Castonguay, principal at Conseil Scholarie Catholique Providence.
More than 263,000 people across Ontario have already taken the online pledge to eradicate bullying.
To take the pledge go to www.thepledgetoendbullying.ca.
