Comments on: >You were successfully silent, now speak to us! http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/ the GLSEN blog Thu, 28 Jun 2012 22:06:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Robey Green http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-594 Robey Green Tue, 12 May 2009 13:11:00 +0000 http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-594 >I did not participate this year in the day of silence. I did however plan it and set it up with my school.Getting a teacher to help with sponsering it. Asking the principal, getting the posters, the cards to pass out, the whole nine yards. I happened to be sick on the acctual day, which upset me because im one of the few supporters in my school. However, I came to school the next day to find out that even after a teacher sponser was granted permission by our principal, He came over the intercom that morning to say that he didnt support it, he never said we could do it, and if you were to participate You will deal with the disiplinary actions that will apply. He also told all teachers to give zeros to any student participating. Heres to say i was quite angry along with my teacher sponser. She in turn gave everyone in her class participating extra credit.This was the first year i went about the day of silence correctly. I always got the posters and passed out the cards.I have participated for 5 years now but i never got permission from the administrators. i now see that it doesnt really matter if i do. My school is in a public school with about 2000 students if not more and is in a decent sized city. There is alot of discrimination in my school towards LGBT students. I believe there was only one teacher i heard of that supported it. Alot of LGBT students did participate but they did recieve zeros. I did not hear of any suspensions or detentions or anything of that sort. I still cant believe he did this. >I did not participate this year in the day of silence. I did however plan it and set it up with my school.Getting a teacher to help with sponsering it. Asking the principal, getting the posters, the cards to pass out, the whole nine yards. I happened to be sick on the acctual day, which upset me because im one of the few supporters in my school. However, I came to school the next day to find out that even after a teacher sponser was granted permission by our principal, He came over the intercom that morning to say that he didnt support it, he never said we could do it, and if you were to participate You will deal with the disiplinary actions that will apply. He also told all teachers to give zeros to any student participating. Heres to say i was quite angry along with my teacher sponser. She in turn gave everyone in her class participating extra credit.This was the first year i went about the day of silence correctly. I always got the posters and passed out the cards.I have participated for 5 years now but i never got permission from the administrators. i now see that it doesnt really matter if i do. My school is in a public school with about 2000 students if not more and is in a decent sized city. There is alot of discrimination in my school towards LGBT students. I believe there was only one teacher i heard of that supported it. Alot of LGBT students did participate but they did recieve zeros. I did not hear of any suspensions or detentions or anything of that sort. I still cant believe he did this.

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-593 Anonymous Tue, 12 May 2009 11:12:00 +0000 http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-593 >1. Have you participated in the Day of Silence before? No<br /><br />2. What type of school do you go to, small or large, public or private, rural, urban, or suburban? I spose it's rural but there's alot of people in it<br /><br />3. How many people participated or supported your Day of Silence event? About 5 supporters, I was the only participant<br /><br />4. Did anything extraordinary happen? No<br /><br />5. Were there supportive teachers? Yes, they all were<br /><br />6. Did you have a Breaking the Silence event? No<br /><br />& I'll definitley be doing it again next year =D >1. Have you participated in the Day of Silence before? No

2. What type of school do you go to, small or large, public or private, rural, urban, or suburban? I spose it's rural but there's alot of people in it

3. How many people participated or supported your Day of Silence event? About 5 supporters, I was the only participant

4. Did anything extraordinary happen? No

5. Were there supportive teachers? Yes, they all were

6. Did you have a Breaking the Silence event? No

& I'll definitley be doing it again next year =D

]]> By: Joshua Rogers http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-592 Joshua Rogers Sun, 10 May 2009 16:11:00 +0000 http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-592 >We had a little trouble this year getting the Day of Silence done on the national day. So we postponed it to May 6Th. While not on the national day, it was still a great success. I've participated in the day of silence two times before this one. At the time I was in my shell. In the closet. So I was naturally quiet. Not many noticed I wasn't talking. But those who did made judgemental remarks. While this year, I am completely out of my shell and talk more than I should. More people noticed I wasn't talking. While everyone knew why I wasn't talking, I did not get any bad feedback. I go to a fairly big high school. 2,000 students. Me and my gsa got 400 to do the Day of Silence this year. Our teachers were so accepting we had several who participated. At the end of the day. We had a Breaking the Silence party that went well after school during our GSA Meeting. >We had a little trouble this year getting the Day of Silence done on the national day. So we postponed it to May 6Th. While not on the national day, it was still a great success. I’ve participated in the day of silence two times before this one. At the time I was in my shell. In the closet. So I was naturally quiet. Not many noticed I wasn’t talking. But those who did made judgemental remarks. While this year, I am completely out of my shell and talk more than I should. More people noticed I wasn’t talking. While everyone knew why I wasn’t talking, I did not get any bad feedback. I go to a fairly big high school. 2,000 students. Me and my gsa got 400 to do the Day of Silence this year. Our teachers were so accepting we had several who participated. At the end of the day. We had a Breaking the Silence party that went well after school during our GSA Meeting.

]]> By: Jes Keating http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-591 Jes Keating Sat, 09 May 2009 14:45:00 +0000 http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-591 >Our school has never done anything like the Day of Silence before. We have a public school of about 1500, and at first the Day of Silence was something I personally wanted to take part in. After bringing the subject up to some friends. I soon had about 30-40 students willing to help, make a statement, and take part in the day of silence. I went to the school principle, assistant principle, and guidance department. Speaking to them was brilliant; they all had a positive response to the idea, and allowed the 7th and 8th grade to take part in the days events. Many teachers were very surprised at our success. And congratulated us. We all personally broke our silences. Laughing away the success, and smiling at the thought of how many people we touched on the statement we made. What a success. >Our school has never done anything like the Day of Silence before. We have a public school of about 1500, and at first the Day of Silence was something I personally wanted to take part in. After bringing the subject up to some friends. I soon had about 30-40 students willing to help, make a statement, and take part in the day of silence. I went to the school principle, assistant principle, and guidance department. Speaking to them was brilliant; they all had a positive response to the idea, and allowed the 7th and 8th grade to take part in the days events. Many teachers were very surprised at our success. And congratulated us. We all personally broke our silences. Laughing away the success, and smiling at the thought of how many people we touched on the statement we made. What a success.

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-590 Anonymous Tue, 05 May 2009 13:59:00 +0000 http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-590 >This Wikipedia article about Susan Boyle interested me, so I thought I would share it with you.<br /><br />"Boyle was born 1 April 1961 in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland, to Patrick Boyle, a storeman at the British Leyland factory in Bathgate, and Bridget, a shorthand typist, who were both Irish immigrants. She was the youngest of four brothers and six sisters. Born when her mother was 47, Boyle was briefly deprived of oxygen during the difficult birth; she was diagnosed as having learning difficulties. She was bullied as a child, and was nicknamed "Susie Simple" at school."<br /><br />As a straight kid who was harrassed at school for being a "fag" years ago, I'm with you in your goal, but I hope that you will resist the temptation to make your crusade into a purely "glbt" issue. Bullying in schools, while it is frequently be about this, is much wider a problem. <br /><br />Often it's about kids being unattractive, nerdy, short or pimply adolescents. If your group is about gay bashing in schools, "come out of the closet" so to speak and be a one issue group, that's fine. <br /><br />If it's about bullying, stand up against all of it. It's a decision, though. I'm with you either way, but decide how much of you political agenda is about gay rights and how much is about protecting the right of kids to be kids and be able to go to school without being harassed.<br /><br />And think about contacting Susan Boyle. I think she'd be with you.<br /><br />Mike<br />Salem, Oregon >This Wikipedia article about Susan Boyle interested me, so I thought I would share it with you.

“Boyle was born 1 April 1961 in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland, to Patrick Boyle, a storeman at the British Leyland factory in Bathgate, and Bridget, a shorthand typist, who were both Irish immigrants. She was the youngest of four brothers and six sisters. Born when her mother was 47, Boyle was briefly deprived of oxygen during the difficult birth; she was diagnosed as having learning difficulties. She was bullied as a child, and was nicknamed “Susie Simple” at school.”

As a straight kid who was harrassed at school for being a “fag” years ago, I’m with you in your goal, but I hope that you will resist the temptation to make your crusade into a purely “glbt” issue. Bullying in schools, while it is frequently be about this, is much wider a problem.

Often it’s about kids being unattractive, nerdy, short or pimply adolescents. If your group is about gay bashing in schools, “come out of the closet” so to speak and be a one issue group, that’s fine.

If it’s about bullying, stand up against all of it. It’s a decision, though. I’m with you either way, but decide how much of you political agenda is about gay rights and how much is about protecting the right of kids to be kids and be able to go to school without being harassed.

And think about contacting Susan Boyle. I think she’d be with you.

Mike
Salem, Oregon

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-589 Anonymous Mon, 04 May 2009 00:45:00 +0000 http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-589 >I have participated in the Day of Silence before, 2009 was my 4th year. I go to a very large suburban school. (2000+ students 200 staff) 100 or so people participated or supported the Day of Silence. More than 25 "did" it but many supported. There were many supportive teachers and staff, I talked about the day of silence and made a Gene Robinson quote on the intercom, it was scary to adress over 2000 people, but really cool. We did not have a Breaking the Silence event, although me and an out teacher/teacher that runs GSA talked about the event for half an hour, it went really well. Many kids were "talking" on white boards. The staff was really cool about it, my school does ALLY week during the week of day of silnce, but its be an ally of someone of a diffrent gender, religon, race, ect. friday being sexual orientaion. >I have participated in the Day of Silence before, 2009 was my 4th year. I go to a very large suburban school. (2000+ students 200 staff) 100 or so people participated or supported the Day of Silence. More than 25 “did” it but many supported. There were many supportive teachers and staff, I talked about the day of silence and made a Gene Robinson quote on the intercom, it was scary to adress over 2000 people, but really cool. We did not have a Breaking the Silence event, although me and an out teacher/teacher that runs GSA talked about the event for half an hour, it went really well. Many kids were “talking” on white boards. The staff was really cool about it, my school does ALLY week during the week of day of silnce, but its be an ally of someone of a diffrent gender, religon, race, ect. friday being sexual orientaion.

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-587 Anonymous Fri, 01 May 2009 20:18:00 +0000 http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-587 >All of our gay students participated and a few straight people. The others berated us, attempted to make us talk and incessantly call us crude names. I get harrassed at school, I have a large school. I'm sick of people calling it anti- faggot bully day and stupid hurtful things like that. I am a 17 year old lesbian and no matter what generation, it hurts. We only have onw book in the library that talks about us and our school has 2,000 people. >All of our gay students participated and a few straight people. The others berated us, attempted to make us talk and incessantly call us crude names. I get harrassed at school, I have a large school. I’m sick of people calling it anti- faggot bully day and stupid hurtful things like that. I am a 17 year old lesbian and no matter what generation, it hurts. We only have onw book in the library that talks about us and our school has 2,000 people.

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-586 Anonymous Fri, 01 May 2009 20:00:00 +0000 http://blog.glsen.org/you-were-successfully-silent-now-speak-to-us/#comment-586 >I was silent all day on the 17(april) and I felt good!This was my first year doing the day of silence because I just found out about it this year..And my aunt is an out and proud lesbian and I cant do anything better but to support her and fight for her rights.So I signed up as a student organizer and I got about 6-7 friends involved in it.In the begining no one knew what the day of silence was or what it meant.So to the 7 friends I got involved I gave them stickers and 7 speaking cards each..One for each teacher and One to carry around incase anyone asks why they were silent.Next thing I know I hear people talking about others who were doing the day of silence that i havent even heard of..And then as I walked down the hallway I witnessed at least 25-35 people walking around with a speaking card stapled to their shirts!It was amazing how fast it grew and without my knowledge even!It was truely heart warming hearing their stories and reasons behind participating the following monday.It was a day I would never forget. >I was silent all day on the 17(april) and I felt good!This was my first year doing the day of silence because I just found out about it this year..And my aunt is an out and proud lesbian and I cant do anything better but to support her and fight for her rights.So I signed up as a student organizer and I got about 6-7 friends involved in it.In the begining no one knew what the day of silence was or what it meant.So to the 7 friends I got involved I gave them stickers and 7 speaking cards each..One for each teacher and One to carry around incase anyone asks why they were silent.Next thing I know I hear people talking about others who were doing the day of silence that i havent even heard of..And then as I walked down the hallway I witnessed at least 25-35 people walking around with a speaking card stapled to their shirts!It was amazing how fast it grew and without my knowledge even!It was truely heart warming hearing their stories and reasons behind participating the following monday.It was a day I would never forget.

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