An elementary school in Halifax, Nova Scotia, has apologized to parents and families after it asked serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces and veterans to refrain from wearing their service uniforms to the school’s Remembrance Day ceremony.
Remembrance Day ceremonies across the country have often included veterans or actively serving CAF members in uniform.
Sackville Heights Elementary School sent out a November newsletter to families that said that due to the diversity of its school community, CAF members and veterans should wear civilian clothes this year.
A school community member shared a copy of the newsletter on Sackville Heights Elementary’s Facebook page.
“We recognize and celebrate the diverse makeup of our school community, and in being responsive to our students, we warmly invite any service members who would like to attend,” the newsletter said. “To maintain a welcoming environment for all, we kindly request that service members wear civilian clothing.”
However, after the backlash, the school apologized, explaining that they were only trying to make children from war-torn countries feel comfortable, as they may have had bad experiences with individuals in uniform.
“I’m reaching out to apologize to our community for our message about Remembrance Day,” a copy of the apology from the school’s principal Rachael Webster posted to the school’s Facebook page said.
She said that she recognized the harm that the request caused and that she was deeply sorry.
“Our school is extremely diverse, and some students who have come from countries experiencing conflict have expressed discomfort with images of war, which includes those of individuals in military uniforms,” she said.
It said that its goal in asking veterans and CAF service members to wear civilian clothes was to “ensure” that everyone participating in the ceremony “could feel comfortable.”
“I want to assure you that we have the utmost respect for what the uniform represents. As such, we have reconsidered our approach for tomorrow’s ceremony,” Webster said in the email. “We welcome military family members to come dressed in the attire that makes them most comfortable, including uniforms.”
Webster said that children who may have concerns seeing individuals in uniform should reach out to her, and she will accommodate those students “in a way that makes them feel safe.”
Some on the schools Facebook page demanded the firing of those responsible for the request and said the apology was not good enough, while others raised concerns over the children the school purported to protect being made the target of the publics anger.
“How about teaching those children that not all countries experience war In the same way – and that they now get to enjoy the freedoms in our beautiful country of Canada, because of our veterans and military personnel & police,” one Facebook user said.
Before the apology, Nova Scotia’s Premier Tim Houston scolded the school for its decision to ask members to hide their uniforms on a day meant to honour them and their service.
“In demanding that veterans and members of the Canadian Armed Forces not wear their uniforms while observing Remembrance Day, the leaders at this school are disgracing themselves while demeaning the people who protect our country,” Houston said on X.
He noted that Canadians honour those who serve and remember those who sacrificed “so much to keep us safe” on Remembrance Day.
“Our veterans were never ashamed to wear their uniforms while protecting Canada, and they should never be made to feel ashamed to wear their uniforms today,” he said. “If the people behind this decision had a shred of the courage that our veterans have, this cowardly and insulting idea would have been rejected immediately.”
He affirmed that veterans will “never be asked to hide who they are” in Nova Scotia and Canada.
“Saying Lest We Forget is a solemn promise to the fallen, our veterans and those who continue to serve that we will pass our respect and gratitude to the next generation,” Houston said. “The decision-makers at Sackville Heights Elementary School have forgotten this sacred obligation.”
Sackville Heights Elementary School did not respond to True North’s request to comment before the deadline provided.
