National Day of Silence

Today, Friday, April 25, is the National Day of Silence. The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning) name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools.

This year’s event is being held in memory of Lawrence King, a California 8th-grader who was shot and killed Feb. 12 by a classmate because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. Hundreds of thousands of students are coming together today to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBTQ behavior. Please understand their reasoning and support each individual.

They possibly will present you with a card that reads:

"Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I support lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights. People who are silent today believe that laws and attitudes should be inclusive of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Day of Silence is to draw attention to those who have been silenced by hatred, oppression, and prejudice. Think about the voices you are not hearing. What can you do to end the silence?"