The Stinger

The Day of Silence is a student-led peaceful protest against discrimination where the people who participate in it take an oath of silence for a day. The national Day of Silence was founded in 1996 at the University of Virginia. The Day of Silence went from just over 150 students participating to over 8,000 schools around the nation. In December, there were No Hate posters around the campus. The posters were put up by the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA). The posters were up to promote a Day of Silence at the school, but they did not stay up long, because many of the posters were vandalized and had to be taken down. When this happened, members from GSA believed that there was a stronger need to advocate their beliefs, to grow, and to promote their purpose.

On Dec. 18, the last school day before winter break, some students then made an oath to put duct tape either on their mouth or somewhere on their body. They were partaking in a Cam High Day of Silence. The Day of Silence did not officially start until the end of nutrition because members of the GSA wanted to get more people to take the oath and to know about the oath and how to do it. After nutrition, however, the people who took the vow were silent for the rest of the day.

Anybody wishing to participate in the national Day of Silence still can do it on April 10, 2010.

The GSA club is open for anyone to join—gay or straight—who wants to promote not only tolerance, but the acceptance and embracement of people for who they are. The club meets in A-12, Ms. Christine Lawler’s room, on Thursdays at lunch.