Comments on: Day of Silence observed http://www.365gay.com/news/day-of-silence-observed/ The daily news source for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:02:58 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Revolution Journey http://www.365gay.com/news/day-of-silence-observed/comment-page-1/#comment-52904 Revolution Journey Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:57:55 +0000 http://www.365gay.com/?p=6729#comment-52904 as a closeted teacher in an elementary school in the bible belt, i appreciate so much the students who make the effort to participate in the day of silence. our spring vacation was this past week, so we missed it in this county. i'm not sure how much participation there would have been. i remember some of my former students telling me last year that they participated at the middle school, but i don't know what will happen this year. it's hard to believe how much of this bullying and name-calling actually is beginning when these kids are in my school, only 5, 6, 7, 8 years old. and yet, the powers that be don't see this as a problem. our kids may not be sexually active (or maybe they are), but they certainly have learned that calling someone gay or queer or fag can start a fight, so it must be something wrong. how do you fight something so amorphous? as a closeted teacher in an elementary school in the bible belt, i appreciate so much the students who make the effort to participate in the day of silence. our spring vacation was this past week, so we missed it in this county. i’m not sure how much participation there would have been. i remember some of my former students telling me last year that they participated at the middle school, but i don’t know what will happen this year. it’s hard to believe how much of this bullying and name-calling actually is beginning when these kids are in my school, only 5, 6, 7, 8 years old. and yet, the powers that be don’t see this as a problem. our kids may not be sexually active (or maybe they are), but they certainly have learned that calling someone gay or queer or fag can start a fight, so it must be something wrong. how do you fight something so amorphous?

]]> By: CCM http://www.365gay.com/news/day-of-silence-observed/comment-page-1/#comment-52780 CCM Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:59:18 +0000 http://www.365gay.com/?p=6729#comment-52780 Check out The New York Public Library's efforts for LGBTQ Teens http://lgbt.nypl.org/ Teen links, The Anti Prom Blogs Check out The New York Public Library’s efforts for LGBTQ Teens

http://lgbt.nypl.org/

Teen links, The Anti Prom Blogs

]]> By: Caitlyn http://www.365gay.com/news/day-of-silence-observed/comment-page-1/#comment-52763 Caitlyn Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:39:08 +0000 http://www.365gay.com/?p=6729#comment-52763 My school (Scituate High School in RI) has April vacation next week, so we'll be holding the Day of Silence next week. Last year was the first year we did it, and it was a great success. Almost half the school showed support by wearing stickers or wearing black, and about a fifth was silent for the entire day, which is a great achievement, especially since Scituate's the only town in all of RI that went for McCain! I think it's great because it shows LGBT kids that there are people who support them. It also shows kids who've never had a chance to see being gay as anything except wrong a different side of it and makes them at least think about it. Maybe it even makes some of them decide to to bully people for being gay. Parents shouldn't be allowed to take their kids out of school for this. School is about education. Let us have our Day of Silence, let them have their Day of Truth, and we'll get educated on both sides. (Personally I think the two events are completely different, because the Day of Silence isn't pushing a political agenda; it's just against bullying and harassment. The Day of Truth is actually attacking a specific group.) My school (Scituate High School in RI) has April vacation next week, so we’ll be holding the Day of Silence next week. Last year was the first year we did it, and it was a great success. Almost half the school showed support by wearing stickers or wearing black, and about a fifth was silent for the entire day, which is a great achievement, especially since Scituate’s the only town in all of RI that went for McCain! I think it’s great because it shows LGBT kids that there are people who support them. It also shows kids who’ve never had a chance to see being gay as anything except wrong a different side of it and makes them at least think about it. Maybe it even makes some of them decide to to bully people for being gay.

Parents shouldn’t be allowed to take their kids out of school for this. School is about education. Let us have our Day of Silence, let them have their Day of Truth, and we’ll get educated on both sides. (Personally I think the two events are completely different, because the Day of Silence isn’t pushing a political agenda; it’s just against bullying and harassment. The Day of Truth is actually attacking a specific group.)

]]> By: skippy1610 http://www.365gay.com/news/day-of-silence-observed/comment-page-1/#comment-52747 skippy1610 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 22:39:17 +0000 http://www.365gay.com/?p=6729#comment-52747 The absent children are the ones taught to bully us. Do you suppose they'll ever understand that? It has been ten years since I was in HS, but find myself wishing I could participate today. Perhaps if we carried it into our workplaces... The parents who pulled their children out today would see us, and recognize their own bigotry. I know that in time they will die off, and the younger more progressive generations will take over - but parents of HS students are too young to be so hateful...we can't wait another 60 years. Not to mention the fact that bigotry is taught through the generations... The absent children are the ones taught to bully us. Do you suppose they’ll ever understand that? It has been ten years since I was in HS, but find myself wishing I could participate today. Perhaps if we carried it into our workplaces… The parents who pulled their children out today would see us, and recognize their own bigotry.

I know that in time they will die off, and the younger more progressive generations will take over – but parents of HS students are too young to be so hateful…we can’t wait another 60 years. Not to mention the fact that bigotry is taught through the generations…

]]> By: Andrea http://www.365gay.com/news/day-of-silence-observed/comment-page-1/#comment-52738 Andrea Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:57:46 +0000 http://www.365gay.com/?p=6729#comment-52738 I took part in the Day of Silence and i'm not any of those things but I have frends who are and i believe that if they cant stand up for themselves then we are just gonna have to do it for them. I took part in the Day of Silence and i’m not any of those things but I have frends who are and i believe that if they cant stand up for themselves then we are just gonna have to do it for them.

]]> By: Jessi http://www.365gay.com/news/day-of-silence-observed/comment-page-1/#comment-52733 Jessi Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:43:59 +0000 http://www.365gay.com/?p=6729#comment-52733 - -

]]> By: LOrion http://www.365gay.com/news/day-of-silence-observed/comment-page-1/#comment-52726 LOrion Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:28:40 +0000 http://www.365gay.com/?p=6729#comment-52726 HERE: True story, from another post: "For the second year in a row I get the priviledge of watching students at my school do what I was too cowardly to do when I was their age. They are standing up for themselves and using their muted voices to advocate for their rights. Last year at my school about 200 students took part in the Day of Silence. This year, I don't have numbers yet. As an openly gay teacher, damn never thought I would type those words, but I came out to my students last month. No one fainted out of shock in all honesty but still it was a step. Like last year, this year's Day of Silence is in memory of a kid killed by anti gay bullying. Last year was Lawrence King, this year it is Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover. As much as I celebrate what my students are able to do, the stories of kids like Lawrence and Carl bring me back to the scared kidI was in middle and early high school. It has taken some time but I am able to be proud of myself and my students. They carry themselves with dignity and grace and dare I say fierceness. I just pray for the day I don't have to read about bullicides in my local paper. If you are a student taking part on Friday have fun and be safe. If you are a teacher with students taking part, be cool and let them have their silence. If you are just a civilian in the education front, pray for us or at least keep us in your thoughts. We have come pretty far but need to come farther, faster to save the next Carl." WOW, is all I can say after reading it. May we all have teachers like this in schools. HERE: True story, from another post:
“For the second year in a row I get the priviledge of watching students at my school do what I was too cowardly to do when I was their age. They are standing up for themselves and using their muted voices to advocate for their rights. Last year at my school about 200 students took part in the Day of Silence. This year, I don’t have numbers yet.

As an openly gay teacher, damn never thought I would type those words, but I came out to my students last month. No one fainted out of shock in all honesty but still it was a step.

Like last year, this year’s Day of Silence is in memory of a kid killed by anti gay bullying. Last year was Lawrence King, this year it is Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover.

As much as I celebrate what my students are able to do, the stories of kids like Lawrence and Carl bring me back to the scared kidI was in middle and early high school.

It has taken some time but I am able to be proud of myself and my students. They carry themselves with dignity and grace and dare I say fierceness. I just pray for the day I don’t have to read about bullicides in my local paper.

If you are a student taking part on Friday have fun and be safe. If you are a teacher with students taking part, be cool and let them have their silence. If you are just a civilian in the education front, pray for us or at least keep us in your thoughts. We have come pretty far but need to come farther, faster to save the next Carl.”

WOW, is all I can say after reading it. May we all have teachers like this in schools.

]]> By: LOrion http://www.365gay.com/news/day-of-silence-observed/comment-page-1/#comment-52675 LOrion Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:44:19 +0000 http://www.365gay.com/?p=6729#comment-52675 Probably my own fault, but I do not know if any local schools are doing this. How about you and your local schools? Probably my own fault, but I do not know if any local schools are doing this. How about you and your local schools?

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