A Vow of Silence

The wise father, Atticus Finch, from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, advises his children that to really know another person, you must walk around in their shoes. Beginning this morning at 9:00 a.m., Brentwood students will experience the isolation and helplessness of millions of children throughout the world who have no voice to speak up for themselves. 160 students have committed to take Free the Children’s, Vow of Silence for 24 hours and stand in solidarity with their peers across Canada and around the world to create awareness of those who have been silenced by social injustices. This means no talking, no texting, and no emailing. 
           
As Hanna V, Noud H and Liz W explained in assembly last week, by participating in this event our students are drawing attention to children’s human rights. Today is an opportunity to stand up for children whose voices go unheard. It is estimated that there are 300,000 children enslaved as soldiers or sex slaves worldwide and 121 million children are not receiving a proper education. Around the globe, almost 30,000 children die from poverty related and preventable causes (lack of food, water, housing and disease) every day.
           
We are free to learn and prosper. We take the Vow of Silence to recognize those who are imprisoned by their unfortunate circumstances.

Mrs. Susan Quinton, SAC Faculty Sponsor