A Touching Act of Kindness

William Gierke, 9, of Wisconsin, was overjoyed with his T-shirt. However, she returned home from school in tears and heartbreak. His peers had ridiculed him and branded him a “sissy” because he wore a pink T-shirt.

William Gierke, 9, wanted to show his support for cancer patients by wearing a meaningful T-shirt. The pink shirt boldly proclaimed, “Tough Guys Wear Pink,” and was sold to support a breast cancer charity. But unfortunately, his classmates weren’t very kind about it. William was bullied and called a “sissy” for his choice of clothing.

A Teacher’s Compassion

When William’s mother, Tomi, saw her son return home from school on the verge of tears, she was devastated. The hurtful remarks from his classmates made him dread going back to school the next day. Tomi felt at a loss for how to help William in this situation. But fortunately, William had a very caring teacher.

With a simple yet powerful act, the teacher took a stand against bullying.

A Powerful Statement

When William walked into school the next day, bracing himself for more teasing and insults, he noticed something different about his teacher, David Winter. Mr. Winter was paying close attention to the distress William had experienced because of his T-shirt. In a show of support, Mr. Winter was wearing his own pink shirt.

To William, this small gesture meant the world. It not only made him feel more comfortable, but it also sent a clear message to all the students that bullying someone based on their clothing is never acceptable.

A Call to End Bullying

“No youngster should be bullied because of their clothing,” says William. And I couldn’t agree more. It’s important that we acknowledge and appreciate teachers like Mr. Winter who stand up for their students.

Let’s show our support and appreciation for Mr. Winter’s kindness and support for William by liking and sharing this story!