Guest opinion: Day of Silence helps schools become safer

On Friday, April 20, students at Mount Si High School will have the opportunity to join with approximately 50,000 students nationwide to participate in the Day of Silence. It is a day of solidarity in support of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, or Questioning (GLBTQ) students who are bullied and who feel silenced because of their friends and family who do not accept their sexuality. GLBTQ teens are a very high-risk community. They are more likely to be homeless, to do drugs, to fail classes and to struggle with depression than their straight peers. The Day of Silence is meant to show support to those kids. The Gay-Straight Alliance Club, or GSA, hopes that by raising awareness on this issue, the school will become a more safe and accepting place.

April 19, 2012 2:53 pm

On Friday, April 20, students at Mount Si High School will have the opportunity to join with approximately 50,000 students nationwide to participate in the Day of Silence. It is a day of solidarity in support of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, or Questioning (GLBTQ) students who are bullied and who feel silenced because of their friends and family who do not accept their sexuality.

GLBTQ teens are a very high-risk community. They are more likely to be homeless, to do drugs, to fail classes and to struggle with depression than their straight peers. The Day of Silence is meant to show support to those kids. The Gay-Straight Alliance Club, or GSA, hopes that by raising awareness on this issue, the school will become a more safe and accepting place.

A student participating in the Day of Silence needs to attend a student-run training meeting before school, after school, or at lunches during the week prior to the day. The student will then take a vow of silence for the day, and is welcome to come to a debriefing meeting after school that day in room 303. The student will be equipped with “speaking cards,” or cards that explain their reason for choosing not to speak.

Learning is still the primary objective of the day. Teachers do not participate in Day of Silence and teach classes just as they would any other day. Students participating in the Day of Silence are still required to participate in class, speaking if they have to.

Students are by no means forced to participate. Participation is on a strictly voluntary basis, and there are roughly 150 students who participate each year. Choosing not to participate, however, is not an opposition to the GLBTQ community, and participating in the day in no way makes you gay.

We are excited, like always, to see the support of the GLBT community on this day. Each year, the Day of Silence becomes less of a controversial issue and more of a supported cause. We are happy to see the community changing and Mount Si becoming a more accepting place for all students.

Feel free to visit www.mshsgsa.com for more information or to contact the club.

Chloe Bergstrom (junior), Kailey Van Slyke (senior), Shawn McNabb (junior), Molly Boord (junior) and Landon Edwards (senior)

Mount Si GSA Club officers