Pink was not just a fashion statement in Nova Scotia schools Thursday, as students across the province donned the colour to stand up against bullying.
Education Minister Ramona Jennex visited Halifax West High School to learn about bullying problems and solutions from the students.
“There are a lot of teachers that don’t know about these types of issues,” says student Emma Alderman. “They don’t know how to deal with it besides sending the student out of class.”
One student pointed out that it is often the loner who is targeted.
“One person in a class who’s just not welcome in any group and is completely an outsider, not really welcome and teachers just don’t understand that,” says student Anna Jones.
A common theme among the students was educating teachers.
“There’s a lot of teachers who don’t know about these types of issues,” says student Nicole Gillis. “They don’t know how to deal with it besides sending the student out of the classroom.”
Jennex told the students the province is in the process of hiring an anti-bullying co-ordinator. However, that person was supposed to be on the job at the beginning of the school year, and still isn’t in place.
“I’m disappointed we don’t have someone in place but we will have soon,” says Jennex.
”The minister said months ago she was going to hire from within. How hard is that?” says Liberal Leader Steven McNeil. “How difficult is it to go down the hallway and assign such an important file to someone?”
McNeil suggests the solution to cyberbullying is simple; make it mandatory for a principal to provide the name of the bully to the appropriate authorities to have the account cut off.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Rick Grant
