Over 6 weeks last year, CKNW and the Christy Clark Show undertook what became one of our station’s most successful campaigns to date, Pink Shirt Day – Bullying Stops Here.
We chose pink because that was the colour worn by two students in Nova Scotia who donned pink t-shirts as a way to show solidarity with a boy who had been bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school.
Our call to make a statement against bullying by wearing pink met an overwhelming response in 2008 - from schools, unions, non profit groups, employers and politicians. Our Facebook group garnered support from over 127,000 people in BC and around the world. Premier Campbell and many Mayors issued official orders proclaiming it anti bullying day. And, on February 27th last year, thousands of people wore pink as they made their way to school or the office.
Bullying is a sad reality for too many children and adults in BC and I know schools are working hard to deal with it. But it happens in more than just schools, it happens in workplaces, homes and over the internet too. Creating pink shirt day is our way of helping. We want to support you by raising public awareness about how we can all be part of the solution.
Pink Shirt Day – Bullying Stops Here will happen this year on Wednesday, February 25th, 2009. We hope everyone who was involved last year will join us again. We also hope that the list of participants will continue to grow.
This year, we will again broadcast live from a school that is working hard to deal with bullying. And we hope that on February 25, hundreds of schools and offices will be decked out in pink as their way of making a statement that they won’t tolerate bullying anywhere.
I want to personally invite your school, business or organization to take part in this crucial day by encouraging your students and staff to wear pink on February 25th, 2009. Shirts are available online at www.pinkshirtday.ca or by calling Susan Munroe at (604) 879-6554. Also available online will be ideas on how your school can participate in the activities leading up to February 25th and teaching tools that can be used in the classroom and workplace to promote relationship building.
This anti-bullying campaign will help our charitable partner The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Vancouver who have many programs designed to prevent bullying as well as encourage positive behavior.
I would be delighted to hear from you if you have any comments or questions about this year’s campaign. You can reach me at clark@cknw.com. I am looking forward to working with you and your school to say “Bullying Stops Here!”
Christy Clark
Host, The Christy Clark Show,
Weekdays 12:30 – 3:00
CKNW News Talk 980
January 28th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
We are a small organization in Nanaimo , who supports adults with developmental challenges. As you know, this group of individuals across Canada have in past, and continue to deal with bullying on a regular basis. Last year we were on board with your anti-bullying campaign wearing pink, had discussions and education around bullying issues.It was a big success and this year everyone plans to reach out to other organizations and encourage others to wear pink on Feb 25.
As a side note, our 8 year old daughter who knows the folks in our program, self initiated her own awareness campaign at her school,who were not aware of Antibullying Day.She spoke t the principal, her class. As a result many children, teachers, etc. wore pink. This year hopefully more will be on board.
Just want to say Thank You for bringing huge community awareness about bullying in our society.
Sincerely Julie
February 6th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
I am a teacher in Australia and am going to encourage our students to support Pink T-shirt Day. We are very focused on eliminating bullying by education for bullies and victims and a ‘no tolerance’ policy.
As a token of solidarity to other students all around the world who all face the challenges of growing up with other students, we will acknowledge the stand made here.
Keep up the good work!
February 9th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Our office is buying pink shirt day shirts and all our staff will be wearing them during the week of February 25th. We’re happy to spread the word!
Thank you for all your efforts!
McNeill Nakamoto Recruitment Group
February 10th, 2009 at 11:10 am
My name is Lindy Curtis and I am a grade 12 student at Essex District High School in Essex, Ontario. My leadership class has heard about “Wear a Pink Shirt Day” and we are taking action. We are hoping to purchase the anti-bullying t-shirts from the website for our class, as well as spread the word to our whole school and support wearing pink shirts on Wednesday, February 25, 2009. We hope to stop bullying not only in our school, or just the communtity but the whole country. No one deserves to be bullied.
Thanks for all you’ve done and I hope this brings an end to bullying as we know it.
I would love to hear from you, so please contact me!
February 11th, 2009 at 10:27 am
This is a great initiative and we (The Transit Police) want to take part. However, we cannot wear pink shirts. We are thinking of wearing Pink Ribbons on our uniform to mark the day.
I notice that on the Provincial Governments website they are saying February 27th is Anti Bullying Day, not the 25th. Is the 25th being used in support of the official day as proclaimed by the Provincial Government??
Tom Seaman
February 23rd, 2009 at 11:53 pm
I was very excited about the idea when i first heard about it.
I am a 3rd grade teacher in saudi arabia. As many of you know saudi is a very conservative country. It is a must that women go out with the abbayas or black dress over their clothing. In my class i have quite a few students who are bullied by their classmates because their mothers don’t cover their heads when they go out. I do the best i can to put a stop to it but i think an awareness program would be a great help.
thanks!
February 25th, 2009 at 7:14 am
PINK SHERT DAY IS AWSOME FROM FARRON HALBURTON ONT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 18th, 2009 at 8:33 am
I keep hearing about this stuff. Really interesting.