At least three school districts are poised to mark a national Day of Silence in support of LGBT activism, and the districts say the event is entirely student
-organized despite posting it on the website.
Broward County Public Schools in Florida, along with Belmont Public Schools and Groton-Dunstable school district in Massachusetts, have advertised the Day of Silence on their website. The event is scheduled nationwide for Friday.
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On its website, Broward County Public Schools describes the event as a “student-led action” and encourages participation.
“The ‘Day of Silence’ is recognized each April in schools across the country,” the district says. “It is a student-led action where concerned students, middle school and older, take some form of a vow of silence to bring attention to the name-calling, bullying and harassment— in effect, the silencing — experienced by LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) students and their allies.”
The school district’s board also passed a resolution that declared the Day of Silence is “an effective tool in the fight for equal protection of all Broward County students” while expressing its support for the effort.
A spokesperson for Broward County Public Schools told the Washington Examiner that the district was unable to provide comment about the Day of Silence due to flooding that forced the district to close Thursday.
The event is annually sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Educational Network, a gay and transgender youth advocacy organization that has repeatedly advocated children be eligible for cross-sex hormone treatments and other controversial transgender medical services.
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In a statement to the Washington Examiner, Parents Defending Education Director of Outreach Erika Sanzi criticized the school districts for what she said were deceptive claims the events were “student-led.”
“Adult activists love to hide behind claims that what they’re doing is ‘student-led,'” she said. “It’s always a lie. Students are participants, and they may even take on a leadership role, but don’t be fooled — adults turn students into their foot soldiers and then use them as shields when criticism comes.”
