C.W. Jefferys high school students wear purple to honour Violet Liang

WATCH: Some Torontonians are calling for tougher rules around school zones after a teen was struck and killed by a truck. Lama Nicolas reports. 

TORONTO – Many students at C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute wore the colour purple to class today to commemorate the life of a grade 10 student who was killed by a truck while walking to school Tuesday morning.

Violet Jia Liang was fatally struck by a disposal truck just before 8 a.m. at the intersection of Sentinal Road and Lamberton Boulevard near the Finch Avenue West and Keele Street area.

Jessica Quino posted on the school’s Facebook Events Page to remember the 14-year-old’s life by asking the student body to wear the colour purple.

“I know some of us may not have known Violet as well as we wish we had but just know she was an amazing girl: funny, intelligent, beautiful, and so full of joy,” Quino wrote. “The impact she’s made on people’s lives is remarkable and I know she will truly be missed.”

Liang was enrolled in the school’s enrichment program and considered a straight-A student.

“It’s very sad that she lost her life at such a young age, she was the kindest person I know,” said classmate Aaliyah Grant before class Wednesday morning. “She’s also a singer, she has a very nice voice, and we were planning to do an item for that talent show.”

Another student expressed how difficult Liang’s death has been on the entire school population.

“You see her walking the hallway last year and this year, she didn’t even get to school before she died,” said Essence. “Everyone is kind of depressed inside, it’s kind of slow.”

The Toronto District School Board’s Director of Education, Donna Quan, reminded drivers yesterday that they need to be extra vigilant in September as children across the province are returning to school.

“There’s always a rush to get somewhere but just taking that moment to slow down and checking in front of you, behind you, beside you is so critical during this time where 250,000 students are returning to school, not only in Toronto but well over a couple million in the province of Ontario,” she said.

Meanwhile, the head of the TDSB is calling on city hall to have a discussion on allowing trucks around schools.

Chair Chris Bolton says he wants Mayor Rob Ford’s office to ask that a debate on restricting trucks in school zones be moved up on the city agenda as soon as possible.

“It could have been anyone at the school, but hopefully the government can do something to prevent this from happening to anyone else again,” said C.W. Jefferys’ student Kelsey.