Provo High to respect National Day of Silence
Event to support students struggling with sexual identity
However, if students wish to participate, they may do so, Ray said.
"We will be respectful of students if they choose to participate," he said.
The National Day of Silence, slated for today, entails students giving up talking for the day. This is to symbolize how students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender are forced keep quiet about their sexual orientation for fear of abuse at school and elsewhere.
In some schools, participating students wear a piece of tape over their mouth with a word such as "tolerance" written on the tape. They hand out a card explaining the reason behind their actions.
The event is sponsored by a national group called the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network, an organization working to end bullying and harassment in schools regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.
Greg Hudnall, Provo School District director of student services, said he addressed the issue of the National Day of Silence during a recent principals' meeting. "I reminded them of freedom of speech," he said, adding that students can express their feelings if it is in a safe, non-threatening way.
"This is not a Provo High School event in any way," he said.
Rachel McNeil, director of youth programs for the Utah Pride Center, said the National Day of Silence is important because often gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender youth don't feel safe in their schools or feel they are a valued part of the student body.
"They often feel silenced and not free to express themselves," she said. "The Day of Silence for them is about creating safe schools and positive change."
This year's Day of Silence is in memory of Lawrence King, 15, a California eighth-grader who was shot and killed Feb. 12 by a classmate because of his sexual orientation and gender expression, according to the event Web site, www.dayofsilence.org.
E-mail: astewart@desnews.com
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