In the early 1900s, as it neared completion, a Canadian bridge collapsed, killing dozens of civilians; it was later discovered it happened because of errors made by the engineers. The collapse led to the Ritual of the Calling ceremony where engineering students, upon graduation, receive an ‘Iron Ring’ to symbolize the ethics of the profession and the personal cost of a job that is not done well.

What, for those of us who work in education, is our ‘Iron Ring’?

Would it be a piece of leather from a strap?

A piece of fabric from a dunce cap?

I posit, it would be an orange shirt.

Every September 30th, Canadians, inspired Phyllis Webster’s story of having her bright orange shirt taken from her when she entered residential school dawn an orange shirt as a reminder that every child matters. The educators working in our schools are not personally responsible for the physical and psychological abuse that occurred in residential schools, but the orange shirt is a recognition of the unspeakable harms caused in the name of education and our moral obligation to do right by every child in our care.

Seeing our schools this month, I felt great pride: tipis set up on school grounds, orange fabric tied on fences, truth and the Reconciliation Flags flying on our flag poles. Some may call these nothing but hollow symbols, but they represent real and important teaching happening in classrooms; teachings about treaties, residential schools, genocide, as well as indigenous culture, language and ways-of-being/ways-of-living. While it will not always be as visible as it was last month, this teaching will continue as we in St. James-Assiniboia School Division move forward in the spirit of reconciliation. 

-Trustee Holly Hunter, ​​King Edward/Deer Lodge Ward ​