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Did any of our MB members or friends have the Day of Silence in schools they know about? I'd love to hear how it went, if so! This is the event that the arch-conservative "family" group went bonkers about in Illinois, by the way...
Kevin Davis, Gay.com / PlanetOut.com Network
Three hundred thousand students, from kindergarten through college, are expected to participate in the "Day of Silence" Wednesday, to peacefully protest the silencing and barriers facing GLBT students.
In the largest single student-led action toward creating safer schools for queer youth, students hand out cards explaining their silence and wear buttons and T-shirts announcing themselves as participants. The goal is to make anti-GLBT bias unacceptable in schools and recognize the silencing experienced by GLBT students.
"Despite federal protections, some schools resist allowing students to establish gay-straight alliances (GSA)," said Carolyn Laub of the GSA Network in San Francisco, citing one example of discrimination.
"The most common harassment is verbal, but also physical violence and biased treatment by school administrations," said Laub. "There are barriers, challenges to starting an alliance."
Many schools will also stage "Breaking the Silence" events to end the school day.
At Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, the silence breaks at 5 p.m. when students gather around a table in the main dining hall to share their experiences of homophobia. A high school in Las Vegas will close the day with a student performance of "The Laramie Project."
A 2003 School Climate Survey by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) found that more than four out of five GLBT students reported verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school, and nearly 30 percent reported missing at least a day of school in the past month out of fear for their personal safety.
Eighty-nine percent of harassed students reported no intervention by faculty and staff.
GSAs increased nationwide by about 50 percent, from 1,200 groups in September 2002 to approximately 2,000 today, according GLSEN's Michelle Sims.
"All of us at GLSEN are moved and inspired by the record-setting number of students who will be silently, yet powerfully, standing up for themselves, their peers and the ideals of safe and effective schools for all," said GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings.
"It is imperative that all students have the opportunity to learn in an environment free of harassment," said Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) Chairman Terry McAuliffe in a prepared statement. "In today's society, coming out as a young gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender American is still a tremendous act of courage."
"Always forgive your enemies...nothing annoys them quite so much." Oscar Wilde
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little over two years ago when i was in high school, i remember some people participating in the day of silence, our high school being pretty open to everyone, no one really cared... well it was at our school promoted by our gay straight alliance club. I myself didn't participate, but i think it went pretty well. Teachers were supportive, and understood, though the students did wear signs saying they were participating, to let the teachers know they were participating in such an event. Well that's all i remember really from that.
Al
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