GUILFORD -- On Tuesday, students at Guilford High School took a stand and signed a pledge to create a more inclusive environment for all of its students.
“It is something you shouldn’t be saying,” says Kiera Stankewich, a sophomore at Guilford High School.
In the morning, students walked the hallways with clipboards and pens in hand. They encouraged their peers to take a stand and eliminate the ‘R’ word from their vocabulary.
The school has been participating in this national campaign for 8 years. Jaye Carlson, is one of the organizers spearheading this effort at Guilford High School. Her son has special needs and went to Guilford High School. Carlson knows how hurtful that word can be and made it her mission to spread awareness at both the school and district level.
“I do think there is a shift in the culture, it started as a very small group and as you see it has grown tremendously,” says Jaye Carlson.
Organizers say it’s their goals to make sure more schools across this country take this same pledge.