Nine-year-old William Gierke from Wisconsin was excited to wear his special T-shirt to school. However, he returned home devastated after facing bullying from his classmates for wearing a pink shirt.
William chose to wear a “Tough Guys Wear Pink” T-shirt to show his support for cancer patients and to raise funds for a breast cancer charity. Unfortunately, his classmates ridiculed him and called him a “sissy” because of the color of his shirt.
William’s mother, Tomi, was heartbroken to see her son come home in tears. The hurtful comments from his classmates made him reluctant to return to school the next day. Unsure of how to help her son, Tomi was relieved to find out that William had a supportive and caring teacher.
The next day at school, William braced himself for more teasing. To his surprise and relief, his teacher, David Winter, was wearing a pink shirt in solidarity with William. Recognizing the bullying William had faced because of his T-shirt, Mr. Winter decided to show his support by wearing pink.
While it may seem like a small gesture, it meant the world to William. Most importantly, it sent a clear message to all students that bullying someone for their clothing is unacceptable.
“I feel more comfortable, I don’t let it bother me anymore,” William said after his teacher took a stand against the bullies.
No child should be bullied for their clothing choices. Kudos to Mr. Winter for standing up for his student. Please like and share this article to celebrate this teacher’s support for William!