Spreading the Word at GREC

Jeff Green | Mar 08, 2017

Students from the School to Community class at Granite Ridge Education Centre (GREC) in Sharbot Lake posing in front of a Spread the Word to End the Word poster that was signed by Granite Ridge students and staff.

The School to Community students at GREC encouraged their peers to take the pledge to Spread the Word to End the Word on Wednesday, March 1st. Students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 as well as support staff, office staff and classroom teachers participated in the event and promised to refrain from using the R-word from now on.

The awareness campaign is supported by the r-word.org website which includes personal stories from people who have been impacted by the use of the R-word, a word that symbolises the barriers to inclusion and full participation in community life for those who are subjected to it.

“In my opinion, the r-word creates a divide among students; it's exclusive, offensive and derogatory. The word is old and misused daily both as a harmless one-liner or a pointed attempt at bullying. The students in the School to Community program at GREC are not the only ones who hear this word from time to time, but it is these students who want to take a stand against it from here on out,” said Kendra DeRooy, school to community class teacher at GREC.

GREC students are all being encouraged to take the pledge, either by signing an actual pledge at www.r-word.org or in some other way as part of ongoing efforts to make the school a safe and inclusive place for all members of the school community.