King Elementary Makes February Upstander Month

FRAMINGHAM, MA- King Elementary School and the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Community Development announced they are dedicating February as Upstander month.

John Maynard, Principal of King Elementary School, recently shared what it means to be an Upstander:

"Having our Student Council kick-off this important month-long theme presented a great opportunity for our students to take a leadership role in promoting kind behavior and how to be an upstander against bullying behavior," said John Maynard, Principal of King Elementary School. "The events are designed to support our students in making good choices and being good citizens of King and the wider Framingham community. We know this behavior needs to last well beyond the month of February, and we are committed to shifting the culture for the long-term."

On Tuesday, February 26th, King students will be getting the OOCH Experience. This will be done in two assemblies - one for children in grades K-2 and the other for children in grades 3 and 4. Based on talks with mental health professionals, the “Super-POWER Show’’ is a 60-minute performance for elementary school children that discusses bullying, how to respond to it, and how bystanders can recognize their role in stopping it. The show also emphasizes the importance of reporting bullying incidents right after they happen.

The King community will be encouraged to wear pink on Wednesday, February 27th. The students and staff of King Elementary School are taking part in a symbolic celebration with international recognition. By wearing pink, they are standing up to bullying. Anti-Bullying Day (a.k.a. Pink Shirt Day) is a day celebrated on various dates across the world, originating in Canada and most commonly known in North America. It takes place on the last Wednesday of February. It originally started as a protest against a bullying incident at Central Kings Rural High School in Nova Scotia when a grade nine student, Charles McNeill, was bullied after arriving to school wearing a pink shirt. On this day, many of those who participate wear pink to symbolize a stand against bullying.