The classrooms of Athens Drive High school were unusually quiet on Friday, April 17, as students across the country observed the Day of Silence.  The Day of Silence is an annual day of recognition for those lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals whose voices were “silenced” because of their sexual orientation. 

    The Day of Silence was started thirteen years ago by students enrolled at the University of Virginia. Only 150 students participated, but the number began to grow steadily as the Day of Silence got more press coverage.  In 2008, hundreds of thousands of students were participating in over 8,000 schools across the United States. 

It is now sponsored by the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN), and this year, the Day of Silence was held in honor of Carl Walker-Hoover, a young boy who took his life due to constant anti-gay bullying, although he did not identify as homosexual. 

    “I think it’s a good way to spread awareness,” said Danielle Deveaux, sophomore and participant in this year’s Day of Silence.  “People kept asking why I was silent and it was a good way to alert people about gay rights.”

    Students who were involved had to stay quiet from the time they got up to the time they went to sleep again.  These students were allowed to communicate through the written word, and many carried notebooks or dry erase boards in order to participate in conversations with friends or classmates.  Some students, on the other hand, wished to remain completely silent and forfeit the option of notebooks, dry erase boards or texting. 

    The GLSEN offers print-out cards to the students that they can carry around all day, which explain their reason for staying quiet.  The Gay-Straight Alliance at Athens put these cards out so any student could take one, in case they decided they wanted to be silent too.

    “The card was really useful,” said Betsy Talbert, freshman and member of the GSA. “I just had to show it to people who asked so I wouldn’t have to talk.”

    This year, however, the Day of Silence faced considerable opposition from parents who did not support the cause.  Parents threatened to take their children out of school, claiming that the Day of Silence not only distracted from the education of students but politicized the classroom.

    "Now we object to the ones who are doing it in class, disrupting school time, because it is a tacit endorsement, an approval, of this political protest," said David Smith, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute, as quoted in One News Now. 

    Many parents did follow through with this threat, while others turned toward the Day of Truth to counter the Day of Silence. The Day of Truth, started in 2005, is an organization that counters the promotion of the homosexual agenda from a Christian perspective.  During this day, students have the option to wear shirts with the Day of Truth logo on it. This year, they also handed out cards that said one can change his or her sexual orientation. It was held on April 20, just three days after the Day of Silence.

    “I think it’s fair,” said Victoria Flowers, freshman.  “Both sides should have their say.”

    Despite opposition, thousands of students across the country participated in the Day of Silence in support of their GLBT peers and another Day of Silence is expected to take place next year.