Students wore orange to remember residential schools trauma

Blue and white are the official colors of La Conner Schools – except two weeks ago, on Sept. 30, when orange shirts were worn instead.

And, very likely, annually going forward.

The change in garb was no mere fashion statement.

It was intended to build public awareness of the atrocities and ensuing historical trauma linked to prior forced attendance and assimilation to white culture imposed upon Indigenous students at residential schools in the U.S. and Canada.

The La Conner School Board, following an impassioned presentation last month by district community and cultural liaison Clarissa James, unanimously proclaimed the day as Orange Shirt-Residential School Awareness Day. Jen Willup, the district’s Between Two Worlds course instructor, supported James..

This marked the first time the district had officially recognized Orange Shirt Day.

“We do anticipate this to be an annual event,” Superintendent Will Nelson told the Weekly News. “The learning about the impact on Natives of residential boarding schools that took place across our district was the most impactful and created the greatest potential for understanding. The subsequent conversations within classrooms, hallways and the football field are indicative of the day’s learning.”

He stressed that “this day of recognition brings important historical events to the forefront, creating historical and social-emotional learning opportunities. Residential boarding schools created great trauma within our Native communities that live on today in our current Native narratives.

“These schools,” said Nelson, “caused a lot of harm, harm that we intend to disrupt by being committed to uplifting the voices of our historically marginalized populations, including our Native students.”

The level of support among La Conner students for Orange Shirt Day, which dates to 2013, and originated in Canada, was readily apparent..

Board member J.J. Wilbur, also a Swinomish Tribal Senator, noted that numerous survivors and families of those who attended the boarding schools, reside locally.

“I think as a school we all participated really well,” said La Conner High School senior Delaney Cobbs, who is one of two student representatives on the school board, “and it caused people to think about why everyone was wearing orange.

“Overall,” she said, ““I know for a lot of people it was short notice because it was officially signed as a holiday for our school only on that Monday,” Cobbs added, “but it was, overall, a really great success. This was the school’s first year, and I think every year we will get more and more participation.”

Former La Conner Schools faculty member Tracy James, now Director of Swinomish Social Services, was among those who expressed gratitude that the day was observed.

“This year’s Orange Shirt Day hit me harder than the other ones,” James told the Weekly News, sharing that one of her granddaughters, whom she drives to school daily, is the age earlier tribal children were when taken away to boarding school.

“She had her orange shirt on and had her braided ponytail swishing behind her as she walked into the school,” James said.

“Listening to Brook tell me the story of the orange shirt made me cry and I could only imagine the pain those parents and families felt as their children were ripped from their arms to be taken away to boarding school,” she said.

“Thankfully,” she said, “my grandparents survived boarding school, which allowed me to spend time with them and to bring my granddaughters to school every day.”