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Speaking out with silence
  
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Students, teachers join together for national initiative that protests anti-gay behavior.
By Angela Hokanson
During lunchtime Friday at Glendale High School, amid the usual hubbub of snacking and socializing, about 50 students and teachers sat in a circle in a silent protest of harassment and discrimination in any form.
They were local participants in a national initiative known as the Day of Silence, a campaign in which students don’t speak for a day to call attention to how gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth are “silenced” because of harassment and bullying in schools.
The national initiative is organized by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, an organization that seeks to ensure that schools are safe for all students regardless of their sexual orientation.
The approach of the Day of Silence has stirred controversy in recent days among students and parents alike, some of whom believe the event serves to provoke discussions about sexuality that do not have a place in public schools. A group of parents attended the Glendale Unified School District Board of Education meeting Wednesday and expressed their opposition to students being allowed to take part in Day of Silence activities in a public way during the school day.
Two additional school resource officers were on the Glendale High campus Friday as a precautionary measure, but no problems had arisen, Assistant Principal Michele Doll said during Friday’s lunch.
It was “business as usual” at the school in every way, said Principal Kathy Fundukian — except for the fact that students had been exposed to an additional lesson on the importance of tolerance and of constitutionally protected rights like freedom of speech.
While sitting in the circle, some students passed notes on dry-erase boards, and others just ate lunch. One quietly strummed a guitar. Many wore pieces of colored duct tape on their mouths to indicate their participation in the event.
An easel with a dry-erase board was set inside the circle, and students added their responses to the question, “What are you silent for?” that was written on it.
Individuals scrawled answers that included: intolerance; ending homophobia; sexual harassment; hate speech; “to be who you are without fear.”
Michael Davis, 16, sat in the circle passing notes with a friend.
When he was asked how the day was going, he wrote, “I am amazed at all the support we have on the event. There was a lot of discrimination going on prior to, so I am shocked and relieved.”
Among the student onlookers, opinions about the activity varied widely.
Some students said the Day of Silence was a pointless protest, or that they thought the day was only for people who were gay, and that they didn’t approve of that sexual orientation.
Others said they thought the activity was a commendable expression of individual rights.
“I think it’s really valuable, and it shows the courage of people who participate,” said Aram Bayramian, 14.
After school, some of the participating students and teachers gathered to discuss their experiences with the protest.
Participants agreed that in general the day had been a success, despite the fact that some students had continued to disparage the event as “Gay Day,” and that there was a noticeable segment of students absent from school Friday — participants suspected it was to avoid the Day of Silence entirely.
“I think the ones who couldn’t handle it were at home,” said Cindy Caddel, a Spanish teacher who maintained her silence during lunch.
The Students said they knew some students and parents disapproved of their actions, but they took pride in making a statement.
“We stood up for what we believe in, and that’s more than a lot of people would do,” said Azatui Saakian, 17.
They were local participants in a national initiative known as the Day of Silence, a campaign in which students don’t speak for a day to call attention to how gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth are “silenced” because of harassment and bullying in schools.
The national initiative is organized by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, an organization that seeks to ensure that schools are safe for all students regardless of their sexual orientation.
The approach of the Day of Silence has stirred controversy in recent days among students and parents alike, some of whom believe the event serves to provoke discussions about sexuality that do not have a place in public schools. A group of parents attended the Glendale Unified School District Board of Education meeting Wednesday and expressed their opposition to students being allowed to take part in Day of Silence activities in a public way during the school day.
Two additional school resource officers were on the Glendale High campus Friday as a precautionary measure, but no problems had arisen, Assistant Principal Michele Doll said during Friday’s lunch.
It was “business as usual” at the school in every way, said Principal Kathy Fundukian — except for the fact that students had been exposed to an additional lesson on the importance of tolerance and of constitutionally protected rights like freedom of speech.
While sitting in the circle, some students passed notes on dry-erase boards, and others just ate lunch. One quietly strummed a guitar. Many wore pieces of colored duct tape on their mouths to indicate their participation in the event.
An easel with a dry-erase board was set inside the circle, and students added their responses to the question, “What are you silent for?” that was written on it.
Individuals scrawled answers that included: intolerance; ending homophobia; sexual harassment; hate speech; “to be who you are without fear.”
Michael Davis, 16, sat in the circle passing notes with a friend.
When he was asked how the day was going, he wrote, “I am amazed at all the support we have on the event. There was a lot of discrimination going on prior to, so I am shocked and relieved.”
Among the student onlookers, opinions about the activity varied widely.
Some students said the Day of Silence was a pointless protest, or that they thought the day was only for people who were gay, and that they didn’t approve of that sexual orientation.
Others said they thought the activity was a commendable expression of individual rights.
“I think it’s really valuable, and it shows the courage of people who participate,” said Aram Bayramian, 14.
After school, some of the participating students and teachers gathered to discuss their experiences with the protest.
Participants agreed that in general the day had been a success, despite the fact that some students had continued to disparage the event as “Gay Day,” and that there was a noticeable segment of students absent from school Friday — participants suspected it was to avoid the Day of Silence entirely.
“I think the ones who couldn’t handle it were at home,” said Cindy Caddel, a Spanish teacher who maintained her silence during lunch.
The Students said they knew some students and parents disapproved of their actions, but they took pride in making a statement.
“We stood up for what we believe in, and that’s more than a lot of people would do,” said Azatui Saakian, 17.
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