The Day of Silence is an annual event held to bring attention to anti-LGBT bullying, harassment and discrimination in schools. Students and teachers nationwide will observe the day in silence to echo the silence that LGBT and ally students face everyday. The Day of Silence is one of the largest student-led actions in the country.
In light of current events during the MLK celebration and in light of past incidents involving students at Mt Si High School during the Day of Silence, we would like to encourage the following;
1. Remind our community that we are fortunate to have diversity as part of it. That among us and our children is a group that struggles daily to accept who they are in the midst of an intolerant community. Indeed the very well being of our friends and neighbors depends on our acceptance.
2. Remind our community that suicide is the number one killer of our students. Among those, the LGBT community is six times more likely to commit suicide than the heterosexual community. Remind our friends and neighbors that more than 4,000 of our kids choose suicide every year. Remind them that 8 of our children, struggling with their identity, struggling with verbal and often physical harrassment by their peers and often struggling with their parents rejection have taken their lives today.
3. Remind our community that respect is a right of every human being.
4. Demand of the Snoqualmie Valley School District that on the Day of Silence;
- That a zero tolerance policy of harassment will be enforced including the pressing of criminal charges for any incidents.
- That parent volunteers will be permitted to assist in monitoring for illegal activities.
- That a local law enforcement presence will reinforce the zero tolerance policy.
- That the Administration expressly prohibit the display of any anti-gay slogans or suggestions of violence, ie. 'I Love Gays - KILLED'.
- That the Administration will be be held liable for any acts of violence, intimidation or harassment against any student.
5. Talk to your neighbors! It is time for ALL of our children to have a safe and open environment they can learn in!
12 comments:
Thank you for your kind support and understanding. I grew up in Kirkland during the late 1970's and as a gay child/teen, I had to face violence and insults almost every day. The teachers and other school staff did nothing to protect me....Neither did my family, with the exception of my mother who thought that karate lessons were the answer.
I droped out of school and ran away from home in the eighth grade. I am lucky to be alive however damaged.
P.S......one more note of irony, being "raised" by an absentee parent. A kind neibor arranged for a Seahawks player(Ken Hutcherson) to to spend a day with me at the puyallup fair. he was a kind man and that day was one of my fondest childhood memories (age nine or ten). Imagine my shock seeing him on TV in my adulthood preaching intolerance aganst my kind.
Who are these kids? These aren't students from Mt Si.
Will the monitoring for illegal activities include violence and bullying against students that choose NOT to participate in the Day of Silence? Your post makes it sound like the victims of this in the past were gay students - but I personally know, and have talked to, five students who did NOT participate who were bullied, pushed, and hit on the last two Day of Silences. I have never heard of a single instance of violence against someone who was supporting the Day of Silence.
I have had children at MSHS for the last six years. Until the DoS began two years ago, I was never aware of systematic bullying, now it happens every year at this time. The Day of Silence has INCREASED intolerance and prejudice at the school. Perhaps the goal was to make everyone equally intolerant of everyone else?
Will the monitoring for illegal activities include violence and bullying against students that choose NOT to participate in the Day of Silence? Your post makes it sound like the victims of this in the past were gay students - but I personally know, and have talked to, five students who did NOT participate who were bullied, pushed, and hit on the last two Day of Silences. I have never heard of a single instance of violence against someone who was supporting the Day of Silence.
Certainly not! Two of my children have been assaulted during the DoS for their heterosexual support of this group. Being called fags or fag lovers, being pushed into lockers, tripped and having things thrown at them. Anyone who assaults another should be dealt with appropriately. The Adminsitration has been know to turn a blind eye. I have a testimonial stating that the principal responded to a complaint of assault with "that's part of the game isn't it?"
This is no game! I spent several years in the south in my youth and witnessed racism first hand. I stood against that then, and now I will stand with my gay and lesbian neighbors as well as the silent students to see that they will also have a voice.
WE WILL NOT GO AWAY EVER!
Not until you and your children accept everyone regardless of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, etc.
You will not win this fight.
This is The United States of America and we don't do bigotry here.
I leave you with this....
Mark 12:28
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Demand of the Snoqualmie Valley School District that on the Day of Silence;
- That a zero tolerance policy of harassment will be enforced including the pressing of criminal charges for any incidents.
- That parent volunteers will be permitted to assist in monitoring for illegal activities.
- That a local law enforcement presence will reinforce the zero tolerance policy.
- That the Administration expressly prohibit the display of any anti-gay slogans or suggestions of violence, ie. 'I Love Gays - KILLED'.
- That the Administration will be be held liable for any acts of violence, intimidation or harassment against any student.
What is wrong with learning in school? There is so little time and so much wasted on all this political left wing brain washing while our students are falling behind the world in Math, Science, Physics, and the Arts we do not have time to waste on this political mis mash.
If you are gay that is great. If you are not that is great but just shut up and teach our kids before it is really to late.
Parent of 4 mshs student said:
"I have had children at MSHS for the last six years. Until the DoS began two years ago, I was never aware of systematic bullying, now it happens every year at this time. The Day of Silence has INCREASED intolerance and prejudice at the school."
Just because you didn't know about it, doesn't mean it didn't happen. Did you ever stop to think that the reason the students worked so hard to create the GSA was because of they were bullied? Just because its talked about more, doesn't mean it's worse. In fact, the only way to really end prejudice is to talk openly about it.
There should be no such thing as a day of silence in schools. The children are there to learn - The teachers are there to educate. Wear a certain colored t-shirt or something to represent but don't refuse to teach or answer questions the children may ask. My daughter once was given a test without any verbal instructions from the teacher. She also twice tried to ask a question in two seperate classes and was refused an answer each time. Why show up to teach and get paid for it if you're not going to do it? Why do we let them?! That's not what we are paying for...we're paying the teachers to teach our children. Just asking to take a stance some other way. I personaly would never send my child to school on that day if they have it in the future. Why send them if they're going to be ignored. I think it's sad and illogical that teachers are allowed to refuse to teach when that's what they are there for.
A fouteen year old boy was murdered in school today in California because he said he was gay.....Now you people (and others like you) have blood on your hands.....Sleep well!
I tried to leave feedback regarding their "shocking" realizations (and fabrications) from the CoDE website today. I am in no way a conspiracy theorist, and am not suggesting that it was purposeful, but I could not in any way shape or form send them anything using the email address, or the feedback form unless I signed up on their site. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
In light of current events during the MLK celebration and in light of past incidents involving students at Mt Si High School during the Day of Silence, I would like to encourage the following;
1. We should our community gives us the opportunity to teach them how to properly deal with homosexuals and their supporters. In Response to the claim that students were assaulted for supporting the homosexuals at the school, I think it’s great that students are organizing against this pro-gay agenda being pushed on them. In many communities our children might not know how to deal with homosexuals, and if they learn from the media they will try to "tolerate" and "accept" the fact that their religious and moral beliefs have be surrendered in order to get educated.
2. Remind our community that suicide is the number one killer of our students. Among those, the LGBT community is six times more likely to commit suicide than the heterosexual community. Remind our friends and neighbors that more than 4,000 of our kids choose suicide every year. Seems like a self correcting problem to me.
3. We should respect gays as humans, and they should respect our right to disagree with their views. The school obviously doesn’t agree with the latter. If the gay student isn’t "gaying up" the school then there is no reason he shouldn’t be tolerated. Other students are expected to discuss sexual activities, thoughts, and preferences OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.
4. Demand of the Snoqualmie Valley School District that on the Day of Silence;
-Adopt policy of tolerance for ALL BELIEFS, not JUST THOSE OF GAYS. The average straight student is having their beliefs banned by the school in order to accommodate the beliefs of a very small portion of the school.
-Parent volunteers be present to watch over and ensure that the administration handles ALL discipline issues resulting from the DoS event.
-Local ACLU representatives be present to overlook and advise any students concerned about their rights being violated.
- The administration imposes any dress restrictions FAIRLY. If a student can’t wear an anti-gay shirt then a student can’t wear a pro-gay shirt. Censorship of students: None or total but equal.
-That the administration be held liable for allowing ANY act of biased treatment to straight students standing up for what they believe.
5. Tell your neighbors that at Mt. Si High School, your child can and will face disciplinary action for refusing to renounce their religious beliefs.
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