NEWS: On April 16 will be "The Day of Silence" in most public high schools and middle schools. It is sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). On this day, thousands of public schools schools will allow students to remain silent all day-even during instructional time-to promote GLSEN's socio-political goals (i.e. their unproven and destructive theories on the nature and morality of homosexuality.)
Parents must actively oppose this hijacking of the classroom for political purposes.
Parents must actively oppose this hijacking of the classroom for political purposes.
WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT:
1. Call your local schools and ask whether they permit students or teachers to remain silent in the classroom on "Day of Silence."
1. Call your local schools and ask whether they permit students or teachers to remain silent in the classroom on "Day of Silence."
IMPORTANT: Do not ask any administrator, school board member, or teacher if the school sponsors, endorses, or supports DOS. Schools do not technically sponsor the Day of Silence. Technically, it is students, often students in the gay-straight alliance, who sponsor it. Many administrators will tell you that they do not sponsor the DOS when, in fact, they do permit students and sometimes even teachers to remain silent during instructional time. Also ask administrators whether they permit teachers to create lesson plans to accommodate student silence.
2. Find out what date the event is planned for your school. (The national date for 2010 is April 16, but some schools observe DOS on a different date).
3. Inform the school of your intention to keep your children home on that date and explain why. (Click here for a sample letter.) One reason this is effective is that most school districts lose money for each student absence.