National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
Orange Shirt Day: Monday, September 30th
Equity and inclusivity has always been a priority of the York
Catholic District School Board, as a key tenet of our Catholic faith.
Over the years, we have acknowledged the need to foster better
relationships with members of our communities, in particular,
the Indigenous community of York Region, so that we can work
together to make our schools safe places to learn and grow
academically and spiritually.
As we continue to build our collective understanding about the
history and struggles of Indigenous peoples in Canada, we are
reminded that the Canadian Catholic Bishops urge all Catholics to
commit to continuing to walk together with Indigenous peoples
and to build a more just society, where their gifts, and those of
all people, are nurtured and honoured.
The federal government passed legislation to recognize
September 30th as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
September 30th is also Orange Shirt Day and it reminds us of the
harms that the Residential School system had on our Indigenous
brothers and sisters. Orange shirt day stems from Phyllis (Jack)
Webstad’s experience in a Residential School and it represents an
important day of remembrance.
On Monday, September 30th all staff and students are invited
to wear an orange shirt to school to show that every child
matters.