Silence is Acceptance

At a recent assembly, a young man from 5th class recited this poem from memory. When he was finished what was a powerfully moving recital he led a discussion between both sets of 4th, 5th and 6th classes. Completely led by this young man a discussion took place between approximately 170 students around the use of appropriate language.

A white boy from 6th class explained how he thought using the word black was offensive and that he had never really thought about it before. A girl from 4th class explained how she used the word coloured because that was the word her parents would use. After the children had shared their thoughts and asked any questions they had, they agreed that going forward not only would they use appropriate language themselves but that they would discuss the topic at home. The young man who had originally recited the poem was happy that he had started what he hoped to be a ripple effect of knowledge in his community.