(Photo courtesy snoc.net)

By Valeria Araujo – Staff Reporter

Law’s students and staff are campaigning to stop the use of the R-word in school.

During all lunch waves on March 30, students and staff members will be encouraging people to sign a poster to show support for the “Spread The Word To End The Word” campaign. They will also be giving out free bracelets to those who sign the poster.

Law’s Unified Sports Team also recently sold T-shirts for the campaign.

Mrs. Daniels, a special education teacher at Law, started the campaign three years ago when she heard about it at a Unified Sports tournament.

“One of our previous students – her mother, was very involved in the R-word campaign in other areas of Connecticut,” Daniels said. “She kind of put the bug in my ear and that’s what made me decide to start one.”

The campaign has grown every year with continued support from the students and staff at Law.

Mr. Winebrenner, a special education teacher at Law, also believes the word should be abolished and joined the campaign to help.

“I hope the campaign makes everyone realize how hurtful the R-word can be and that the R-word has an effect on people,” Winebrenner said.

Winebrenner said the R-word has no place in society and that it hurts not only the people who are called the R-word but the people who care about them as well.

“I’ve been working, in my classroom, for the last 10 years and my students are part of my family,” Winebrenner said. “I love them and any word that can hurt them would obviously hurt me. I would never want anything to be said to them that would hurt them, they are my children – you don’t say mean things to your kids.”

The campaign is also being heavily run this year by Law students.

Senior Emily Fetter said that stopping the use of the R-word is a “good example for the younger classmates.”

The students involved are all very passionate about the R-word campaign as well.

Senior Kristin Connolly said she “encourages students to not use the R-word and to support their cause.”

Junior Richard Anderson said, “(Someone being called the R-word makes me) sick.”