Day of silence in schools

When teachers at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex School of Justice ask for participation in classes today, they will be met with silence from more than 900 students, more than half the school. The din that generally acts as background to high school life will be stilled, as the school marks a Day of Silence, an effort to bring attention to and stop bullying of gay and lesbian students at schools. Events will occur around the country today and Friday.

A student at left applauds a speaker talking about the protest at a school ceremony Thursday. The button honors Lawrence King, 15, who friends say had endured anti-gay taunts and slurs long before he was fatally shot and killed at his Oxnard school in February, allegedly by a 14-year-old classmate.

At the end of the ceremony, about 50 students from the school's Gay Straight Alliance placed black carnations on a coffin to symbolize the "death of homophobia."

Today, the participants plan to break their silence with an assembly. On Friday, students will see a preview of "Tru Loved." Cast members Jasmine Guy, Bruce Vilanch, Nichelle Nichols and Elaine Hendrix were among the speakers at Miguel Contreras on Thursday. Also there were officials from several organizations, including the Day of Silence sponsor, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.

L.A. Unified School Board President Monica Garcia said she was inspired by the students and their efforts toward "a more just and humane world." The biggest cheers went to Lydia Castillo, a student at the school who organized today's protest.

-- Mary MacVean

Photos: Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Theresa Shell]

I think what these young people have done shows great wisdom, energy and an effort to make a better, more loving and more understanding world. I think it's wonderful and I admire their actions more than I can say. They show more understanding, kindness and wisdom than their elders in this matter. The Bible quote I would like to use here is, "A little child shall lead them."

I applaud their actions and their efforts to love and accept their fellow man. God made different and I think different is a wonderful thing. Judge a man by his actions, not by his race, color, creed, religion or sexual identity.

Bravo for the event. How wonderful.

Theresa Shell
Burbank, CA

[R.J. Keller]

What happened to Lawrence King is disgusting and unconscionable, and I'm proud of these students.

Whether or not you think homosexuality is a sin is your choice, but SO beside the point here. A boy is dead. Grow a heart. Grow a conscience. Grow the hell up.

[Will]

Referring to Michael's remark:
"MY God is gay- and he is heterosexual, bisexual LOVING and INCLUDING. How sad that YOUR God is so BITTER and CONDEMMING. "

How wonderful that you're able to make up your own religion just because it feels good (it DOES feel good, doesn't it?). I'm surpirsed you're not wiccan.

ANYway, I'm an athiest, but even I can see the problem in creating a moral system just to satsfy your own pleasures. Want to shoot up? NO PROBLEM - create a loving god that allows you to do that. Want to have conjugal relations with an eight-year old? Step this way - THIS god will bless your efforts. Want to run a mulitnational corporation that drains it's workers and society of resources and benefits? You can make up something for that, too.

Even as an athiest, I can see there is black and white. Grow up and start standing up for YOURSELF - not your urges. Feh.

[kyle]

why does it mater what the sexuality of somebody is my girlfriend is bisexual and i'm o.k with that i don't see why its a BIG DEAL! i respect her and every other person

[sal]

This a good thing. This makes me happy to such tolerance...we, as a society, can learn a lot from this kids did...as for the people who use the bible to hide thier own prejudice. God is Love. God loves all that he/she has created.

[Gene]

Regardless of anyone's personal beliefs about homosexualtiy, there's another form of disrimination here:

Has the school conducted special observances for those who are taunted for being nerds, band geeks, fat, members of other races, or different in any other way??

No matter how badly some have been treated, they are just as guilty to focus the attention on themselves rather than protest that EVERYONE is not being treated equally.

[Robert]

Susan,
Your understanding of the word phobia is as limited as your understanding of scripture. Phobia only means fear in popular psychology. In other scientific reference it is closer to aversion or incompatibility. This very accurately describes your use of the words disgusting and perversion. Some Christians do interpret scripture in the way you do. Then again, others have interpreted it to support slavery in the past. I'll pray for your enlightenment.

[caerbannog]

Hey Susan,

Since you cited Genesis 19 in support of your anti-gay jihad, let's take a closer look at it, shall we?

5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

So Lot basically offered up his daughters as sex-toys to a bunch of strange men. Is that your idea of Christian morality? Are you so horrified by homosexuals that you would rather have them gang-rape your daughters than have relationships with other men?

And do you ever *read* your Bible? Or do you just wave it around?

[Daniel P. From Long Island, N.Y.]

Too many people equate Christianity with being opposed to embracing and accepting gay people. There is no unanimity amongst Christian denominations on this issue. The Episcopal Church has a gay bishop, and the United Church Of Christ allows gay clergy and gay marriage in the church.

Christ's message is one of universal LOVE.

"Judge not, lest you be judged." Matt 7:1

[JC]

I will pray for you ALL.

[Dan]

God made most of you straight. God made me transgender. Cope with it. besides. the Bible has been retranslated so many times by people with an agenda, who knows what the original said anymore.

[B.]

Day of Silence was not made to support LGBTs but instead was made to honor those who have been harmed for their beliefs.

All arguments for and against LGBTs are irrelevant to Day of Silence. Rather, take the silence as a respect for those who have been affected. Honor the silence not just because of the people involved, but also as a vow to stop violence against others also. Even if we cannot agree on beliefs, shouldn't we all have at least a common goal to make sure no one is harmed? Or is that against beliefs as well?

[ivette Martinez]

I am a current student of Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, and was a participant of the day of silence held at my school just yesterday April 24th 2008.

I was really thrilled to see the cast members of the movie "Tru Loved," and to see the support of my other classmates, that support this movement, i was really honored to be part of this movement and im looking forward on the next day of silence.

I'm planning on supporting all my friends and/or other people that are in GSA.

Like My mom always said "who are we to judge others when we are not perfect ourselves."

I would like to acknoledge all the Teachers, staff and students that were part of this movement...

And to Mr. Gentry that did a terrific job, on telling us what to do to make this assembly the best one yet!, and to Mrs. Kawaye for being there...
Thank you.

[Carolyn Laub]

I want to congratulate all of the students at MCLC for their courage to participate in the Day of Silence, along with the thousands of youth across the country who joined them today. Students in Gay-Straight Alliance clubs are leading a movement to make schools safer. Their voices for justice are being heard loud and clear! They should be applauded for their leadership and willingness to stand strong in the face of the daily harassment and violence that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students face in schools every day.

Bryan was right when he said that we need these youth to lead our world...right now. I am glad that so many students have such a compassionate vision for schools and families and communities that accept everyone and embrace our differences. That's the world I want to live in.

I'm the founder of GSA Network, and we were very proud to be part of the Day of Silence at MCLC this year. And we are equally proud to be a partner in the TRU LOVED film, which also carries this important message of acceptance!

[Angela]

As a student of Miguel Contreras Learning Complex i believe that the Day of Silence brings great awareness to anyone who is LGBTQ. this recognizes many students who are harassed or made fun of just because of their choose of sex.
Love has no boundaries. When will people recognize that?!
at 17 years old i know im entitled to my own opinion so why are people questioning our motives to establishing the day of silence in our school? this shouldnt be any concern to anyone. If you dont like the fact that WE DO WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE in the way society looks at LGBTQ people. I believe my school IS making a difference with making students accept the way they are and bringing self-confidence to the highest extent.

Thank you For taking time to read this.

[Christa]

"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." And how about "Thou shalt not kill." Homosexuality is not a crime. Murder is. How dare anyone take it upon themselves to end a life? Hitler decided to murder Jewish people because he felt they were beneath him. This crime is just as heinous.

I give mad props to these students for standing up for their beliefs in HUMAN RIGHTS. Not gay rights or straigt rights, or liberal rights or conservative rights. But the right of a human being to exist. The very foundation of our country was based upon the right to LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. Nowhere does this say "except for gays" or "except for women" or "except for African-Americans". Those rights are inalienable and for all people.

I feel sad for people who are so miserable and lacking in love in their hearts and lives that they must drag others down with them. Hopefully, other kids will learn from this shining example and refuse to accept hate of any kind in their lives.

Civilization blossoms through growth and our world could use more thought, love and strength like we were shown today. Thank you Miguel Contreras Learning Complex. Thank you for standing up for HUMAN RIGHTS!

[Nichole A.]

I am student at Miguel Contreras Learning Complex and I am also part of the School of Social Justice and a member of the Gay-Straight Alliance at MCLC. And all I can say that as a Senior I was able to attend the Day of Silence Assembly and like what Rodney Genrty wrote, I am also proud of what we all have managed to accomplish.

I have a little sister and I pray to God that she doesn't have to see and hear such discriminiation in the world as I have. I have seen and experience things that I don't want her to face. And here we have people talking about God.

God, politics and sexuality do NOT mix! When is the day gonna come when we leave God/religion out of the bloody conversation?

[Gary Grossman]

dharper wrote:
"However, I am getting increasingly tired of having their agenda thrown at me day after day and if I disagree with them I then become a biased person."

dharper appears not to have read the second paragraph of the story:
"... The button honors Lawrence King, 15, who friends say had endured anti-gay taunts and slurs long before he was fatally shot and killed at his Oxnard school in February, allegedly by a 14-year-old classmate."

dharper, imagine how tired you would be of enduring taunts and slurs for not being of the officially mandated sexual orientation. Imagine how tired you would be of being frightened of being literally persecuted to death for it. You might yourself come up with the "agenda" of asking to be left alone to be what you are.

[Jaimie Calderon]

As vice president of the School of Social Justice I would like to say that the negative comments on this page are the reason we even have to have assemblies to teach acceptance.

If you are not afraid of the LGBTQ community or do not care what happens to them then why spend 15 minutes of your life writing an ignorant statement claming you are "getting increasingly tired of having their agenda thrown at [you] day after day and if [you] disagree with them [you] then become a biased person."

The reason we even have to do this is because the LGBTQ community does not get the same liberties as a straight person would if America were to remain in the hands of Right wing conservatives then you would not even have an earth to hate people on because they only worry about getting things the way Jesus would want them.

The Europeans believed they were made by god to conquer and destroy cultures why is that every time people persecute one another they use God as a scapegoat.

I am proud to be in the GSA and a straight ally to my friends. Nothing will stop my friends and I from being the change that needs to happen in order to have a society were people’s efforts to bring consciousness is not called an abomination instead they are praised for their concern .

I would like to congratulate everyone who helped make this years event the best Day of Silence yet.
And Mr. Gentry if you read this the assume that I was insulted by the amount of ignorance in the world.

[Teacher at MCLC]

As a teacher at the MCLC School of Social Justice who happens to be a religious person, I am disturbed at some of the religious comments in this thread on both sides of this issue. They demonstrate intolerance for religious beliefs and an ignorance of religious principles. In point of fact, there is no greater friend to Social Justice than the religious community. I googled Social Justice once, and I estimate that 60 to 70% of the listings were religious organizations whose mission is Social Justice. As the mission of the Day of Silence is to end harassment and bullying, I can imagine no religious organization from the liberal to the center-right that would have an objection to it.

I suppose I should blame Susan for bringing religion into this, but lets begin with this: It is NOT true that “a sin is a sin.” There are gradations of evil. Jews believe that it is sinful to eat a cheeseburger. You cannot believe that to eat a cheeseburger is on the same level as committing murder! Neither is the punishment for each sin the same. Gandhi was very clever when he said that an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth makes society half-blind and toothless. But much as we may admire him, he was wrong on this one. When societies punish theft with cutting off of the thief’s hand, when they stone people for adultery and when they burn a widow for the sin of surviving her husband, “an eye for an eye” becomes an admonition to make punishment proportional. It is, then, a commandment for mercy, not vengeance.

While it is true that translations may lead us awry, the original sources are out there. You will need to learn ancient Hebrew, Aramaic as well as Greek and Latin, but no worries. For most purposes, any good translation will do. And although even the King James Version has translation errors (The Ten Commandments say “Thou shall not MURDER,” not “Thou shall not kill.”) it should not impair your perusal unless you are getting to a really technical point. In that case, in this day and age, it is easy enough to research any particular word you find problematic. But please, as with anything in the Internet, consider your source.

Then there is the issue of Lot. It is problematic why Lot offered up his daughters to the men who practically broke down his door to get to know his guests. But you miss the point of the story. The two cities were not destroyed just because of the homosexuality. These people were also promiscuous and violent (their intent was to rape the guests). It is all of this wickedness for which the cities were destroyed. Perhaps the storyteller threw the daughters in just to emphasize how wicked they were. If the intent was to merely portray homosexuality as evil, they would have filled the cities with peaceful, monogamous homosexual couples and it would have said, “For this reason these cities were destroyed.”

Finally, I recognize some of the students who have posted on this thread. I know these to be fine students (although Mr. Gentry needs to help some with their grammar). A number of other students (in almost every school, I’m sure) may know that an act is wrong, only it isn’t really wrong if you don’t get caught. Many teenagers would be well served by a sense that everything they do is seen by some power. If it is wrong, it is wrong even if you don’t get caught. I would not presume to preach to them. I would never proselytize to anyone. State law even prevents me from telling students what I have written here (so if you are an MCLC student, don’t read this). Nevertheless, I am saddened when I see that students think religion is the enemy, rather than ignorance, intolerance, and hatred.

[Marta A.]

I am a student in Miguel Contreras and I think that the day of silence is kool... Sure whatever there are some of you who don't see the point but we do because we understand those who aren't able to speak out and let out what they have inside. I am straight but I don't see anything wrong with a straight person trying to help people who are LGBTQ. It's actually something good because in my case it makes me feel that I am actually helping out someone out there who needs their voice to be heard but don't have the guts to actually do it...
So thanks to all who support us... And one more thing please don't mess religion with this it has nothing to do with it, God loves all of us for who we are because he created us. =)

[Daniel P. From Long Island, N.Y.]

Christa said: "...The very foundation of our country was based upon the right to LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. Nowhere does this say "except for gays" or "except for women" or "except for African-Americans". Those rights are inalienable and for all people."

I AGREE with you 100 %. I wish all Americans did.

[jaytee]

Thank you so much for being brave and standing up for those who cannot.

[LR]

The use of religion as a bludgeon by "conservatives" is unending, as demonstrated by the ridiculous number of religion-based comments on this post. The Day of Silence has nothing to do with religion - equal treatment and respect for others, regardless of their differences, is the topic at hand.

[Glenn Miya]

The real tragedy is that two teenagers are gone: one shot in the head and, the other—who had a promising future—is bound for prison. We are diminished by their loss. We need more than one day of silence to develop solutions to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. Tru Loved is an example of a solution.