Putnam Valley High School’s student club GSA/VOICES (Gay Straight Alliance/Voices Of Individuals Creating Environments that are Safe), led by senior president Giovanna Spica, observed the National Day of Silence on Friday, April 17, 2009. That day began at 6:45 am, when the participants gathered in the high school foyer and lined up in a double row wearing their red and black t-shirts, with black bandannas across their mouths, to depict the concept of silence. The line leaders held posters explaining what the Day of Silence is. Arriving staff and students immediately came face-to-face with the group and had to walk around them. To one observer the usually hectic and raucous morning arrival was still hectic, but much more quiet than usual.

A number of PVHS faculty and staff member “allies” wore the bright red Day of Silence t-shirts to show their support for the day’s activities, but it was the students who chose to perform the most noticeable and challenging task of this annual event: that more than 30 participants were expected to remain completely silent for an entire school day. Students elect not to speak for an entire school day in order to highlight the silence that many lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) students have to keep in order to avoid being harassed, or worse, at school. According to the sponsoring organization, the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN), the goal of the Day of Silence is to make schools safer for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. In one study on bullying, GLSEN reported, students said two of the top three reasons students are harassed in school are actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender expression. Additionally, 4 out of 5 LGBT students reported experiencing harassment at school.

Teacher and club co-adviser Marissa Squicciarini explained that she and her co-adviser, school psychologist Jason Kane, are “trying to get the kids to run with the club and we try to stand in the background. They’re getting better at it each year.” Giovanna Spica explained the activities that the group had planned. “We will be handing out rainbow ribbons and have a ‘wall of support,’ where anyone can just come up and sign a large poster-sized sheet of paper to show their support. At the end of the day we will all leave our classes 5 minutes early and gather outside and break the silence together as soon as the bell rings.” When the annual observance began at PVHS teachers were concerned about how students would be able to participate in class without speaking, but notes and hand signals seem to work fine, if needed, one teacher explained.

Every year, more and more students are reported to have participated in the Day of Silence, which began 12 years ago when University of Virginia students wanted to find a way to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment on campus. This year’s DOS was dedicated to Carl Walker-Hoover, a young student from Massachusetts who hanged himself just last week after enduring constant bullying, including anti-gay taunts. Carl did not identify as gay, and his mother had pleaded with school officials to do something about the bullying that her child was experiencing. According to GLSEN, Carl’s story “is story is a tragic reminder that anti-LGBT bullying and harassment affects all students. Carl would have turned 12 on April 17. For more information, visit www.dayofsilence.org.