Schools stand up against bullying for Pink Shirt Day

Pupils and teachers at schools across east Auckland got into the swing of things to support this year’s Pink Shirt Day, on May 16, and to take a stand against bullying.

The initiative is run by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand and is about “working together to stop bullying by celebrating diversity and promoting kindness and inclusiveness”.

“It’s about creating a community where all people feel safe, valued and respected, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion or cultural background,” the organisation says.

“Pink Shirt Day is the day Aotearoa comes together to take a stand against bullying.

“The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand has run the campaign since 2012, inspiring tangata to Kōrero Mai, Kōrero Atu, Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora – Speak Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying.”

Pink Shirt Day was first launched in Canada in 2007 when two students took a stand against homophobic bullying after a new student was harassed for wearing pink.

Among the many local schools that got behind the cause on May 16 were Baverstock Oaks, Wakaaranga Primary, Bucklands Beach Primary, Te Uho o te Nikau Primary, and Bucklands Beach Intermediate.

Baverstock Oaks says the school “celebrated Pink Shirt Day with our students wearing pink and standing up against bullies”.

“We want to encourage our students to be upstanders, not bystanders, so we have a bully-free school that’s safe and happy and promotes learning and great relationships.”

Bucklands Beach Primary student councillors David and Dennis say their school participated in Pink Shirt Day to “take a stand against bullying and promote kindness”.

“Pink Shirt Day is celebrated in many countries around the world.

“It started when a student wore a pink shirt to school and other students bullied him.

“To support him, his friends wore pink shirts to school too, which started a worldwide movement.

“On Pink Shirt Day, there were lots of activities that students could take part in at school, such as a scavenger hunt.

“The student council hid pink shirts with kind words all over the school for the other students to find.

“We also put up compliment posters with cut out strips of compliments that people could tear off and give to someone else. There were lots of other activities, too.

“Everyone enjoyed Pink Shirt Day because while we were learning and spreading the message of preventing bullying, we were also playing and having fun.

“Pink Shirt Day was awesome and we definitely spread the anti-bullying message.”

On Pink Shirt Day staff and pupils at Te Uho o te Nikau Primary in Flat Bush also took part in the “ice bucket challenge” organised by year six leaders Francis and Paartha to “eliminate bullying by celebrating diversity and promoting kindness and inclusion”.

The event saw a very brave principal Chris Herlihy and others being drenched with ice-cold water.

Bucklands Beach Intermediate School staged a mufti day alongside a bake sale to increase its contribution toward youth mental health, raising $1380, as part of its participation in Pink Shirt Day.