Should students be in school September 30th for Truth & Reconciliation Day?

Is it better for students to have the day off of school to remember the past, or is it better for them attend school and learn about Indigenous past?

I personally think being in school can be a very benefical thing. Especially if it is planned out and done in a respectful way. Students need this time to continue to be educated and by simply allowing students to stay home it takes away from honoring the day.

Student should be at school September 30th and teachers should organize activities centered around Truth and Reconsiliation. If students stay home, they may see it as a day off school, to be able to play, sleep or watch tv.

I think thye should not. Thinking about Indigenous students, having this day off will allow them to be with their family, celebrating their culture, and greaf if they need too. I understand that some students will only see this as a day off from school. However, I think the community should contanue having rally or events during this day for parents to bring their kids so they get the sense of the importance of the day.

I believe that students should not have school on September 30th Truth and Reconcilation Day. I think that students should be taught about what Truth and Reconciliation Day is and why we have it but I believe that could be done the entire week leading up to September 30th. Students will learn and do activities to better understand the significance of the day and then have the day off to take that one step further. We need to acknolwedge the importance and necessity of this day and I feel that giving students the day off to remember and understand the weight that Truth and Reconciliation Day carries.

Hi Janay,
I feel like many Canadians are still ignorant towards the truths of Indigenous Peoples, this includes the parents of children attending schools. If students were granted a day to not attend school in honour of Truth and Reconcilation Day, it would be an injustice. I imagine this day being abused and viewed as a "holiday", rather than the actual intention to bring awareness and honour those impacted by Residential Schools. If students are asked to stay home, I feel like it would be unlikely for their parents to go out of their way to honour the day. If students were in school, however, teachers could use the day to educate students and bring knowledge keepers and elders in to share their teachings. For non-indigneous families, I believe schools would provide them a much more authentic experience of Indigneous peoples, unless their parents actively tried to educate their children.

I definitely think students being in school on September 30 is very beneficial. By giving the students the day off, it will be seen as just another non-school day, and the true meaning of the day will be lost. Schools need to make it more than just a one day thing as well, to help students understand the importance of the day.

I strongly believe that having students in class for Truth & Reconcilliation Day is the way to go. Making this day a "holiday" makes it just another day that students will be home, glued to technology and not thinking and learning about truth and reconcilliation. In my personal opinion, it is a "too little, too late" idea presented by the federal govenment.

I am torn on this subject. I think being at school can be really beneficial if there are impactful activities and learning opportunities taking place. However, I think the day should be optional for indigenous students, because this may become a new day to celebrate one's culture and identity, and people with indigenous backgrounds may want to take the day to spend time with family or learning about their culture at home, or in nature. I think if we assume going to school on Truth and Reconciliation day is the best thing for students, we are using a colonial perspective in a way. But I am still on the fence.