On April 29th, 2022, Edmunds Middle School students and staff will participate in the GLSEN Day of Silence, a national student-led demonstration where LGBTQ+ students and allies all around the country—and the world—take a vow of silence to protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ people in schools. This event will be optional.
This year, the Day of Silence theme is My Silence, My Action. Where LGBTQ+ people in schools are often silenced and erased, this direct action is a reclamation of that forced silence and erasure. This time LGBTQ+ students and educators are choosing to be silent on their own accord and demonstrate the impact on the entire school community when LGBTQ+ people are silenced and erased.
Started in the mid 90’s by two college students, the Day of Silence has expanded to reach hundreds of thousands of students each year. Every April, students choose to go through the school day without speaking, ending the day with Breaking the Silence rallies and events to share their experiences during the protest and bring attention to ways their schools and communities can become more inclusive.
The day will begin with participants picking up pins and talking cards from the library, at which point the vow of silence begins. Students will still participate fully in classes, but will not speak. They may write or communicate in other ways. At the end of the day, students may participate in a Break the Silence Rally, speaking about their experiences feeling silenced and hearing others speak about the need for LGBTQ+ inclusion in curriculum.
glsen.org/day-of-silence
Video Explanation: What is Day of Silence and Why Do We Do It?
2019 Day of Silence: How will You Break the Silence?
According to an NBC News article from March 2022, Nearly 240 anti-LGBTQ bills have been filed in 2022 so far, most of them targeting trans people. Even here in Vermont, we are not immune to the wave of hatred sweeping the nation and our students want to speak out.
The day will begin with participants picking up pins and talking cards from the library, at which point the vow of silence begins. Students will still participate fully in classes, but will not speak. They may write or communicate in other ways. At the end of the day, students may participate in a Break the Silence Rally, speaking about their experiences feeling silenced and hearing others speak about the need for LGBTQ+ inclusion in curriculum.
Day of Silence Educator Guide
Includes LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum Guide
Images to use: can be downloaded from glsen.org/day-of-silence
