West Hants Middle School celebrates diversity

West Hants Middle School students experienced Diversity Day Sept. 18.

The school provided 17 small workshops, two large workshops and one key speaker lined up for the event to educate students on issues such as homophobia, gender bias and physical challenges. Shoulder-to-Shoulder also performed with live entertainment for students.

Key speaker Chris Bourque of reachAbility spoke to the 600 students about understanding and accepting others.

“We tolerate the weather,” Bourque said. “We should be accepting, not tolerating, people.”

The types of discrimination and stigma people face is not going to end with Diversity Day because these are deep rooted issues, Bourque said. “We all face discrimination and bullying … and it’s difficult but not impossible to overcome.

“First, we need to understand and accept other people are different than us,” Bourque said. “However, we must also know we all have differences, but we’re very similar, too.”

It’s important to know people don’t have to be superheroes to make big differences too because even being aware of using respectful language helps, Bourque said. “I mean look at what those two regular guys at Central Kings Rural High were noble enough to start.”

Travis Price and David Shephard stood up for a new student to Central Kings who was bullied for wearing a pink shirt, which started a province-wide initiative against bullying.

It’s amazing the programs schools have in place these days to combat teasing, bullying and discrimination because these events didn’t exist before, Bourque said. “I was picked on in school for a number reasons… and the names stick with you for a really long time.

“If we’d had a Diversity Day, maybe I would’ve saw that this wasn’t normal,” Bourque said. “And that the teasing says a lot more about the person doing it than it does of me.”

Guidance counsellor Melodie Quinn said part of the school curriculum is to teach students about being aware and respectful of differences. “This starts that ball rolling.”

A Diversity Day helps to open eyes to the real world around and presents opportunities kids may not otherwise experience, Quinn said. “It’s clearing up some misconceptions.

“Everybody has a right to be accepted for who they are,” Quinn added. “This day should change some minds… and students might get to know someone they wouldn’t typically get to know… because they’re finding out they’re not so different from each other.”

Teacher Cindy Campbell said the day was only half when she could see a difference in her students. “I could tell the kids were getting it… just by recognition in their eyes.

“I got lots of positive feedback from my students at recess too,” Campbell said. “This day helps change who we are, how we act and even some of the things we believed in.

“It helped remind me there are things we take for granted… and people we take for granted,” Campbell said. “Diversity Day was a good opportunity for students and adults.”