Members of Nanaimo school district board and staff wore orange T-shirts at their Sept. 30 meeting to recognize the damage done to aboriginal students at residential schools.
The day was designated Orange Shirt Day in Canada and Steve Rae, school board chairman, said residential schools represent a dark chapter in Canada's history and the school district is committed to recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which examined allegations of incidents that happened at residential schools and the negative effect on students.
According to Anna Tenning, district vice-principal of aboriginal education, the day has its origins with a student who had an orange shirt confiscated on her first day at a residential school.