Newbury children say no to bullying
Pupils from one Manawatu school are standing tall, putting their hands up and saying no to bullying.
About 155 children from Newbury Primary School on Friday donned pink outfits and said no to bullying in their community.
Pupils dressed from head to toe in all shades of pink for Pink Shirt Day – a national day that raises awareness of bullying in New Zealand.
Year 8 pupil and head boy Toby Collis, 12, said the day was about taking a stance against bullying.
Collis said bullying could be a range of things, including people being viewed as different or not cool enough, or feeling excluded.
It was important children felt included by their friends and peers. ‘‘I think it’s about supporting all those people that have gone through bullying and trying to help stop it.’’
Year 8 pupil Meelah Lawtonrei,12, said the focus should not be on what people wear or their background, but on who they were on the inside. Pupils took part in a fashion show on Friday, parading skirts made out of pink balloons, tops covered in coloured candy and fluffy spotted onesies.
Principal Nick Rate said it was important to raise awareness about the issue of bullying. Unfortunately bullying, including online, was a national issue, he said.
Although the school was a safe environment, Rate said it was important to take part in the antibullying day, especially because it fitted into the school’s core values of respect and leadership.
The pupils and teachers also lined up across the school courts, while in their pink costumes, and made a ‘‘NO’’ shape, to take a clear stance against the bullying. The Manawatu school was one of 433 taking part in Pink Shirt Day.