Students partake in Day of Silence

Thursday, April 17, 2015 observed the 19th year of the annual Day of Silence, which serves as a one-day campaign to help end anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) bullying and harassment in schools. According to Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), “The goal of the Day of Silence is to make schools safer for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.”

President of Homestead’s Gay-Straight Alliance, Sam Ginkel, senior, set up a table at lunch to raise awareness and distribute participation slips and buttons. “Silence is the loudest voice of all, and Homestead needs more voices. Day of Silence is crucial because it strikes at homophobia with power. A lot of people showed their support and it’s important to know who is your friend,” Ginkel said.

“In a world where a voice is being used often to spread hate instead of love, it’s become eminent that silence at this point is the greatest compliment. We honor our war veterans. We salute them in the streets, we honor them every morning with our pledge,” Isabella Scaffidi, freshman, said, “They are heroes. But I cannot classify them as the most courageous. While I do honor these men and women, we rarely stop to recognize the people who battle themselves every day. They wake up and are unwillingly forced onto a battlefield that they can never leave. They aren’t dressed in army green, they’re dressed in jeans and a t shirt. They walk these halls in silence, and it’s time we noticed them. That’s why I participate in the Day of Silence.”

The participation slip given blatantly stated students were not permitted to use the day as an excuse to neglect speeches and class discussions. According to Lambda Legal, “Under the Constitution, public schools must respect students’ right to free speech. The right to speak includes the right not to speak, as well as the right to wear buttons or T-shirts expressing support for a cause. If a teacher tells a student to answer a question during class, the student generally doesn’t have a constitutional right to refuse to answer.” Participants were encouraged to speak with teachers beforehand in order to maintain their silence.

In some schools, Day of Silence is not supported by administration or the student body. “Those who do not support GLSEN’s Day of Silence often protest, but rarely contribute positively to finding ways to end anti-LGBT harassment. Some individuals and groups may even organize events in response to the Day of Silence, grossly mischaracterizing and/or misunderstanding the basic purpose of the Day of Silence,” GLSEN states in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of their website.