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WHEREAS, residents and visitors to the United States Virgin
Islands deplore the excessive and senseless acts of violence to
our students, teachers and other education officials in our
school system; and
WHEREAS, it is to
recognized that safety in our homes, in our
schools, and in our streets, and freedom from
the fear of violence is important to our
residents and visitors to the Virgin Islands;
and
WHEREAS, it is
appropriate to set aside one day out of the year
for the United States Virgin Islands to heal
itself by participating in prayer; and
WHEREAS, we want
to make our schools safe and peaceful learning environments
free from violence; and
WHEREAS, the residents
of the Virgin Islands are calling upon their
clergy to lead the community in a time of
Back to School Day of Prayer on behalf of the students,
teachers and administrators returning to school
here in the Virgin Islands and abroad; and
WHEREAS, we
acknowledge that we need the Lord, and we ask
the Lord to bless and protect our children
during the upcoming school year both on and off
campus; and
WHEREAS, the
involvement of the church and community in the
day of prayer is both necessary and appropriate;
and
WHEREAS, it us important
that parents, and more particularly fathers, in
the Virgin Islands accompany their children back
to school since there is no single factor that
insures the success of our children in school
more than the support of their parents'
NOW, THEREFORE,
I, John P. de Jongh, Jr., Governor of the United
States Virgin Islands, by virtue of the authority
invested in me by the Revised Organic Act of
1954, as amended, do hereby proclaim Saturday, August
27, 2011 and Sunday August 28, 2011 as the
"Back to School Days of Prayer in the
United States Virgin Islands" on behalf of
students, teachers and administrators of the
Virgin Islands school system; and it is hereby
PROCLAIMED that
Wednesday, August 31, 2011, the first day of
school for public schools in the Territory is Declared
to be the "Day of the V.I. Fathers'
March," and parents, and particularly
fathers will march to school with their children
on that date, and commit to being responsible
and doing whatever is possible for their children
in the education during the 2011-2012 school
year.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause
the Seal. of the Government of the Virgin Islands
of the United States to be affixed at Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin
Islands, this 10th day of August, A.D., 2011.
John P.
de Jongh, Jr.
Governor
Attest:
Gregory
R. Francis
Lieutenant Governor
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