Lady Gaga’s personal anti-bullying message to Etobicoke school
Let’s just say they went gaga.
Students cheered and clapped when a personal video from Lady Gaga was shown at an anti-bullying assembly at Etobicoke School of the Arts on Friday. Up until then, students had no idea she had recorded a message and thank you to them.
Student council president Jacques St. Pierre had to keep a poker face since October, after receiving an email from Lady Gaga’s staff with a link to the video. He decided to keep it a surprise until the assembly.
“I’ve seen it over 300 times,” gushed St. Pierre, a huge fan of the mega pop star, in an interview before the Friday event.
In August, the Grade 12 student wrote to several celebrities — including talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, singer Katy Perry and Tim Gunn from Project Runway — hoping a message from one of them would have a big impact on students as the school launched an anti-bullying campaign.
“Sometimes schools talk about bullying but never make changes,” he said. “I thought if I could get someone as influential as Lady Gaga to speak to students, that would make a change.”
Lady Gaga has been an outspoken anti-bullying crusader in the U.S., outraged over the recent suicide of a gay Buffalo teen who had been targeted. She has been lobbying U.S. politicians — including President Barack Obama — to have bullying made illegal.
Etobicoke School of the Arts students are trying to combat homophobia, racism, sexism and body image issues through performance and plan to take their message to other schools in the Toronto District School Board, said St. Pierre.
On Friday, students took a pledge to “make it better” — an extension of the “it gets better” campaign.
St. Pierre, 17, was bullied in elementary school by students who called him a *** for being interested in theatre and drama.
However, he said his high school has been “amazing and accepting.”
But there’s still work to be done; comments like “don’t be a ***” or “that’s so gay” are still common among teens. And, earlier this year, a private webpage was set up where fellow students posted anonymous comments about one another.
In his letter to Lady Gaga, St. Pierre told her who he is and about the school’s campaign.
“And then I talked about why it would be amazing to hear from her.”
In the video, Lady Gaga says hello to St. Pierre, the school and “talks about how proud she is” of their efforts.
She also implores students to “treat each other with kindness, love, and to accept everyone . . . and that she’s doing her best to make bullying a hate crime.”
She then sends her love and tells them to have a “wonderful day at school and to love each other.”
The video, which runs about one minute, 15 seconds, was the edge of glory for St. Pierre.
“When I showed it to the student council, they all cheered and screamed and freaked out . . . she’s talking directly to (students).”
- thestar.com
Lady Gaga Speaks Out About Bullying at the Etobicoke School of the Arts