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Mary Ward's Uniforms

Decent Essays

Turning Up the Volume on Student Voice The word “democratic” stems from a Greek word meaning “rule of the commoners”; in other words, governmental power rests in the hands of the people. Although an individual may seem powerless at first, many individuals working together can achieve the insurmountable. Canada is just one of many countries across the world that utilize a democratic system, extending to its institutions. Schools are no exception to this rule: throughout the years, students have collectivized in small and large groups to have their voices heard.

In this day and age, students have an exponentially increasing amount of information at their fingertips. They think critically about and question what others - including school …show more content…

In 2012, after learning about workers right and the dignity of workers in the grade 12 religion course, student Isabelle Ng-La looked into Ward’s uniforms, discovering that ironically enough they were made in sweatshops. Isabelle sought to make a difference, and to remove the discrepancy between what was being taught and what was being done. All uniforms at the time were purchased through McCarthy’s, which although Canadian, produced all clothing items in sweatshops in third world countries. Ng-La, along with other grade twelve students, took to the Toronto Catholic School Board in protest against the immorality of forcing students to purchase their required uniform through an inhumane source. As a result, Mary Ward made the switch to Halpern’s School Apparel, a Canadian company that produces some of their clothes within the …show more content…

The event had been cancelled due to safety issues that occurred the previous year, but these student leaders took the initiative to ensure that the event would occur and as smoothly as possible. They created a petition that received almost four hundred supporters, as well as approached those in charge offering suggestions to increase safety. The result was that administration listened, and “Rep Your Grade Day” was back in action. Grade twelve student Karen Tseng spoke about what sparked her interest in the cause, ”I helped create this petition as well as worked towards bringing back this day because I believe that it is a pivotal part of the Mary Ward Experience. Rep your Grade Day is a day that unites the school, and it is definitely a memory that will stick with you when you reminisce about high school.” Karen, as well as the others that worked with her, made a small yet powerful change in order to revive the school’s tarnished

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