Nova Scotia principal ‘deeply sorry’ for requesting no uniforms on Remembrance Day

A Nova Scotia elementary school that asked service members and veterans not to wear their uniforms to a Remembrance Day ceremony has done an about-face on the request after facing flak from the province’s premier.

In a November newsletter distributed to parents, Sackville Heights Elementary School invited service members to come to the ceremony, but asked them to leave their military uniforms at home.

“To maintain a welcoming environment for all, we kindly request that service members wear civilian clothing,” the newsletter said.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston wrote on X that the “leaders at this school are disgracing themselves while demeaning the people who protect our country.”

“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. 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,” Houston wrote.

Houston, speaking Friday morning at a press conference, said that he grew up in a military family, his father serving in the armed forces.

“The fact that it happened to begin with is certainly a concern to me. I can’t actually fathom how a decision like that was made,” Houston said. “Saying Lest we forget is a solemn promise to the fallen. It’s our commitment to those who continue to serve and our commitment that we will pass on our respect and our gratitude through the generations and to the next generation.”

Nova Scotia Liberal Leader Zach Churchill also waded into the fray on X late Thursday, calling on Sackville Heights Elementary to “immediately reverse their shortsighted decision and welcome veterans and service members in uniform.”

The school has since emailed parents to apologize for the blunder.

“In our newsletter sent to families last week, we requested that veterans and serving members of the military wear civilian clothing to our Remembrance Day ceremony tomorrow,” said the note from principal Rachael Webster.

“I recognize this request has caused harm, and I am deeply sorry.”

Sackville Heights Elementary “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. Our goal was to ensure that everyone taking part in our ceremony could feel comfortable.”

The school has “the utmost respect for what the uniform represents,” said the principal, noting it has “reconsidered our approach” for the ceremony, which is taking place Friday.

“We welcome military family members to come dressed in the attire that makes them most comfortable, including uniforms.”

The principal’s email goes on to tell parents that if a child “has concerns about seeing members in uniform, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly and we will ensure everyone is accommodated in a way that makes them feel safe.”

In a written statement, the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE), the local school district, said it was aware of the initial request to wear civilian clothing to the ceremony.

“Like most HRCE schools, Sackville Heights Elementary has a diverse student population, some of whom have come from countries experiencing conflict and have expressed discomfort with images of war, which includes those of individuals in military uniforms,” wrote Lindsey Bunin, an HRCE spokesperson.

“The school’s intention was to ensure that everyone taking part in the ceremony could feel comfortable.”

With additional reporting by Francis Campbell

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