TORONTO, Ont. – Students and staff at schools in the Toronto District School Board observed a minute of silence at 11 a.m. Friday in remembrance of and in solidarity with victims of bullying.

The tribute will be marked ahead of Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week in Ontario from Nov. 18-24.

The TDSB “wants its students, community and country to know that, as Canada’s largest school board, we stand firmly against bullying,” the school board said in a statement.

“We work hard every day to ensure our schools are caring, safe and inclusive environments and have the programs in place to achieve that, but occasionally we have to do more.”

The school board urged schools across the province to observe the tribute as well.

“While a moment of silence won’t stop bullying altogether, it is our hope that it will be a powerful message to those affected by it that we, as students, as teachers, as administrators, as people, will not stand by and let this happen,” the board said.

This comes as vigils are being held around the world for B.C.-native Amanda Todd, 15, from British Columbia. She committed suicide last week after posting a heart-wrenching video on YouTube detailing the abuse she had suffered from her peers.

Mike Neuts, an anti-bullying activist, told CityNews about his 10-year-old son, Myles, who was found dead at his school in Chatham, Ont., 14 years ago.

“Myles was held on a coat hook in the washroom of his school, on the back of the washroom door,” Neuts said.

Other parents suggest that as technology advances our strategies on how to prevent bullying will have to advance as well.

In London, Ont., eight teenage girls have been charged with criminal harassment in connection with the bullying of another high school student, who police said had been the target of physical, emotional and cyber bullying.