Record number of schools observe Day of Silence

Students from some 6,000 middle and high schools on Apr. 25 took part in the 12th annual National Day of Silence to bring attention to anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender name-calling, bullying and harassment. This year the observance was held in memory of Lawrence King, a 15-year-old from Oxnard, CA, who was shot and killed in school on Feb. 12 because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. "Young people from across the country have heard about this horrible tragedy and are coming together on the Day of Silence to show their support for safe schools for all students," said Kevin Jennings, executive director of GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, the event's national sponsor. "The Day of Silence brings hope to hundreds of thousands of students that their schools and their world can be safer and more tolerant places." Students taking part handed out 'speaking cards' explaining their action. "Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies in schools," the cards read. "My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by harassment, prejudice, and discrimination. I believe that ending the silence is the first step toward fighting these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today. What are you going to do to end the silence?" The Day of Silence was created by University of Virginia students in 1996 and became a national event in 1997. GLSEN became the national sponsor in 2001. But increasingly the event is being threatened and countered by social and religious conservatives. Some conservative activists called on parents to take their children out of school this year. Other groups also organized "The Day of Truth" as a response to the Day of Silence, and school districts which bar counter demonstrations are being threatened with lawsuits. The day before, the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit issued a temporary reversal of two lower courts rulings and allowed a teen to attend class wearing a T-shirt opposing homosexuality. A study released by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network in 2006 showed that homophobia is widespread in the nation's schools. Nearly one-in-five students reported they had been physically assaulted because of their sexual orientation and over a tenth because of their gender expression. Three-quarters of students surveyed said that over the past year they heard derogatory remarks such as "faggot" or "dyke" frequently or often at school, and nearly nine out of ten reported hearing "that's so gay" or "you're so gay" -- meaning stupid or worthless -- frequently or often. Over a third of students said they experienced physical harassment at school on the basis of sexual orientation and more than a quarter on the basis of their gender expression. The study also showed that bullying has had a negative impact on learning.