WASHINGTON: Despite some parents' and students' objections to the Day of Silence, Mount Si High School Principal Randy Taylor told the Snoqualmie Valley School District board last week that the high school's Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) had begun planning this year's event, scheduled for April 25.
Taylor said organizers were working to set expectations of respect for all students - participants and non-participants - on the Day of Silence, which is part of a nationwide effort to raise awareness of gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans-gendered and questioning (LGBTQ) students and allies who do not feel safe enough to speak their true voice.
"The Day of Silence is just one [of many school activities] that sends a powerful message that all students are respected and have the right to learn regardless of the label they wear at school, at home or in the community. We are a better school because of activities like the Day of Silence," Taylor said at the standing-room-only meeting Thursday, March 6.
He said the GSA was working to address "the blatant misconception that participating or not participating in the Day of Silence is about choosing a side and drawing lines over GLBTQ rights."
Taylor added that staff members and students would be educated on expectations for the day, and communication with parents would remain open. Aune said that participating in the Day of Silence is within students' right to free expression, and that "any form of bullying will not be tolerated."
Mount Si parents and other community members belonging to a group called the Coalition to Defend Education (CoDE) wrote in a letter to the school board and Mount Si administration that the Day of Silence creates an unsafe environment for non-participating students, whom they claim are labeled as anti-gay. They also wrote that the Day of Silence is a distraction to learning, and shapes a school environment where school employees feel emboldened to advocate their personal opinions.
Tom's personal opinion:
I find it very telling how the anti-gay community is screaming and yelling about their children having to feel offended if they are non-supportive of DOS.
GLBTQIA's are asking the non-supportive community to feel, for one single day, what the GLBTQIA community feels EVERYDAY!
It seems the non-supportive community can't handle it for even one day. Now who are the weak and pathetic?
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3 comments:
I totally agree I support DOS, although I am straight everyone should have a choice-I am proud of your students and ashamed of that so called Rev.-holier than thou-don't get me going!!
I am also straight and I too support DOS and LGBT rights.
I thoroughly agree with 'Tom's personal opinion:'! If the non-participating students feel threatened on DOS then they should know how LGBT students feel every day! That's to whole purpose of DOS.
Thanks for the kind words.
And thanks for being allies.
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