BY: SHERI ALCORDO’S GRADE 7-8 CLASS
Nov. 22, 2021
Dear Editor,
Greetings, I am a grade ⅞ student from the Toronto School. I am writing to share my opinion about Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 30th.
I am writing to you to talk about the things that were going on in the residential schools. In my opinion, I think us, all students, should have an assembly of Truth and reconciliation to show how bad it was for the Indigenous students getting bullied, being treated unfairly, and being hated on for what identity they were. The way I felt for those students in the residential schools, who have been treated unfairly, was disappointment. I could have also even been that child, because they were around my age. They also could’ve had the same opportunities as us to continue to pursue their education/learning safely and also be treated with respect, but they never had the chance to have the opportunities we have had. So us students, and greater public, should really think deeply about what happened in the residential schools. It is a chance to show EVERYONE why Truth and reconciliation is important.
Sincerely,
𝓐𝓷𝔀𝓪r, Grade ⅞ student in Toronto
Nov. 22, 2021
Dear Editor
Hi, my name is Arani, I am a Grade 7 student from a Toronto school. I am writing to share my opinion about Truth and Reconciliation Day, on September 30, and about the unfair treatment that the First Nations people have had to deal with. Around 150, 000 young First Nations children were taken from their families to go to Residential school because the Europeans wanted them to lose their culture just for them to be alike. That was wrong because everyone has their own culture that shouldn’t be taken away from them just because they are different from other cultures. It’s important to respect the survivors of Residential Schools and the trauma that they went through because they deserve respect! They still deal with not having clean water, lower levels of education, poor health, and more. Even though we don’t have Residential schools anymore, the First Nation still do not get the same rights. If you want to learn how to help them continue reading.
One way to help solve the unequal rights of the First Nations is to educate others and ourselves. Educating is a way to spread the message on why Residential schools were bad and that not treating Indigenous people with the same respect as everyone else isn’t any better. Another way we can help this problem, is to make a change, which is making your voice heard through media like videos, newspapers, articles. Another way to make a change is including the First Nations people in topics. Like when you talk about how old Canada is don’t just say it’s 153 years old or Canada was founded on July 1st, 1867, say Canada’s birthday is 14,000 years old, and the First Nation people are the first people to come to North America, not the Europeans. Those are some ways just to make a change.
These are my ideas to make a change to help the First Nations people get their rights. I hope I educated you while I’m educating myself and the people surrounding me. I also hope you learn a few things to help the Indigenous people and how to help them to get the equal rights they deserve and need.
From
Arani, Grade 7 student in Toronto
November 22, 2021
Dear Letter to the Editor of Downsview Advocate,
Hello, I’m a Grade ⅞ student in the Toronto area and am writing to you to express my views about Truth and Reconciliation day that took place on September 30.
Truth and Reconciliation day is a day that we celebrate and remember those families and children that died on September 30th. Before the original name was “Orange Shirt Day” but then got renamed to Truth and Reconciliation Day. The day is to honour those who survived the residential school system, their families, and communities. Being forced to follow a religion you don't know or believe in and being separated from your family must have felt very depressing, so this is why we need to create awareness and remember those who died during the situation. I think acknowledging and creating awareness can help other people understand what they have been through. The day “September 30th” honours the survivors.
Sincerely,
Philemon