Be the Helper we all need right now!

At L.A. Matheson we decided to turn the current world crisis into a teachable moment. This morning our teachers will all be reading this script and then engaging their classes in a dialogue about social emotion understanding and how it relates to intolerance, racism and bigotry.

Teacher’s Script – a response to our world crisis

At L.A. Matheson, we want you all to know that we care for each and every one of you and want you to know that we stand with you as we all struggle to understand the global issues playing out on our world stage.

At our school we are very proud of our students and all the communities they come from.  At LAM we welcome everyone with open hearts and are profoundly glad that together we are all Canadian!  

Right now, we are seeing our American neighbours struggle with extreme political unrest and at the same time, as Canadians, we are dealing with our own devastating tragedy at a mosque in Quebec.  We are all struggling to understand the magnitude of the loss suffered by the families, their friends, and the community - a senseless loss driven by hatred.

The massacre that happened in Quebec City cannot be separated from the attacks on the fundamental rights of the Muslim community happening now in the United States. The underlying issue playing out on our global stage is the unfair treatment of humans based on their religion. As a society, we know that this is not only illegal but is also very morally wrong. No one should be denied rights based on their religion, race or country of origin.

At LAM we ask you to not focus on the negativity, but rather seek to educate yourself to stand up against what can seem like the present dark realities in our world.

Mr. Rogers, a famous child education personality, once said that

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping. To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world."

As an LAM student, we ask you… Can you be a “HELPER” in the fight against racism?  

Can you…

·      Listen to people's stories and share in the experiences of our refugees, immigrants, and minorities?

·      Hear the stories and find the commonalities that bring us together?

·      Show your support by sharing what you know to help spread the message of everyone's common humanity?

At LAM, we want you to know that we will stand with you in your right to safety - your right to practice your faith, and your right to join together as a community without fear of violence.  Only together can we will build a stronger community and a united school, - united in love and compassion.

Be the Helper we all need right now!