The annual Red Cross Pink Shirt Day was held on April 1. The campaign is intended to bring awareness to bullying in Saskatchewan and to encourage both awareness and action to this social issue. Last year a total of 135 communities and 259 schools participated. According to the Red Cross, Canadian teachers ranked cyber bullying as their issue of highest concern out of six options listed and 89per cent state that bullying and violence are serious problems in our public schools. The effects of such harassment , whether it be physical or emotional, can have detrimental effects on students productivity including loss of interest in school activities, more absenteeism, skipping/dropping classes, lower grades and tardiness.
The students from Weyburn schools took to the streets on April 1, led by Mayor Debra Button, Police Chief Marlo Pritchard, Inspector Rod Stafford and Red Cross representative George Barker. The parade included over 500 students, business representatives and community members.
