Teachers in the Fraser Cascade will be wearing orange throughout the week, in honour of the 215 Indigenous children buried at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School site.
The school district superintendent says local schools will be holding tributes throughout the coming month.
“A few schools have indicated that they plan to celebrate Indigenous weeks and honouring ceremonies over the next month,” Balan Moorthy said. “I strongly suggest we take a moment at these events to acknowledge our lost children through the Residential School system. The most recent report is further evidence of the cultural genocide that has taken place in our country and represents a buried history that we must continue to acknowledge.”
He said their hearts go out to the survivors, then and now.
“We also acknowledge the loss and pain that stories such as this one will have on our Indigenous students, families, staff members, and surrounding communities,” he said. “As a school district, we will continue to create systems to support our students who have experienced intergenerational trauma. The Fraser Cascade School District is committed to the principles of truth and reconciliation, and we will continue to embrace our purpose of ‘everyone pulling together to support all learners.'”
National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day at 1-866-925-4419.
READ MORE: Vigil grows at Chilliwack church as community grieves children buried at residential school
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