Monday, April 13, 2009

Day of Silence

Every year the Gay, Lesbian, Straight network takes over our local high school in the form of the 'Day of Silence' protest. Students who wish to show solidarity remain silent all day to symbolize how gay people have had to be silent for so long.
What bothers me about this event is the support, announcements and complete involvement of the school staff and administration. In past years teachers even participated, writing the assignment on the whiteboard and refusing to speak to students. Now the administration has instructed teachers that they must still teach, but the students are still bombarded with propaganda from the national GLSN group that is supporting the school GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) club. There is a lot of tension between students. Often those who don't participate are called bigots and haters.
We are told that this event has nothing to do with the seperation of church and state, etc.
My Feelings... If students want to come in and be silent then that's their choice but when the school prominently supports it with announcements and it becomes the topic of every class discussion I am strongly opposed to the disruption.
The LDS students in our area will often make plans to wear their Sunday best to school when they have a temple trip that night, or, for example, many did the day after our prophet Gordon B. Hinkley passed away. This was a private show of support among themselves. They did not have their beliefs broadcast over the intercom or church history or the meaning of temples taught in every class.
The acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle is the acceptance of sin, iniquity, and the moral destruction of society. Our children have to wallow in this filth yet a Christian prayer group at school has to go outside of the school to the flagpole to pray- even in the rain, every morning (the LDS kids are at seminary during this time).
Somehow the school board doesn't see the relationship, because of course, sexuality has nothing to do with religion.
Despite the innundation, many of the local religious and conservative children have grown stronger. The uproar last year (beginning when the Gay and Lesbian group tried to hijack Martin Luther King day) led to the founding of a local Student Conservative Club. Students have also honed their skills in sharing their beliefs and religion.
Last year about a third of the students stayed home on the Day of Silence. The school administration should not be supporting this protest, and as long as they do I will give my children the option of staying away.

4 comments:

  1. If they want to be homosexual,fine, but they have no right to force everyone else to accept it or to take away the 1st amendment rights of those who don't see things their way.

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  2. It is noteworthy that in 2008 on the Day of Silence a full 47% of the student body was absent that day. Yet, the administrators insist it is not disruptive to education.
    The supposed point of the event is that no one should be bullied or discriminated against. The school also has a Day of Respect - with the same goal, but it is not good enough to roll them into one thing.

    In my encounters with the school board and school officials about this over the years, they repeatedly say things like, "The only disruption is coming from the students and parents opposed to the event."
    This is sort of like the attitude that we can have peace if people will just stop resisting their opponents.
    It isn't that GLSEN strolled into town and started fostering this crazy thing, it is that the silly normal people are opposing it.

    It is a difficult situation and it always surprises me that so many people who should know better are lulled into either supporting this or just being lukewarm about it because it sounds good.

    If any other political pressure group showed up and tried to claim a day of school time by way of one of the supposedly student run clubs, it would never fly.

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  3. I have never heard about this day at all. I am so glad that I haven't either. It just saddens me that the staff has to be such en example of this kind of thing. They just don't seem to get it.

    I am so glad to hear about the strength of your youth though. That is just terrific news. I heart these youth more and more. It gives me hope and helps me move forward with faith and valor.

    Thanks for sharing.

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  4. I have never encountered anything like this in my life. I am pretty amazed that this is even an issue at your school. It shows how sheltered my life has been. But I was grateful for your comments and I appreciated you sharing your thoughts and feelings on this subject. I really liked the way you handled it. It will perhaps only be a matter of time before something like this comes in to my children's lives and I will be a little more prepared to deal with it because of your article. Thanks

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