12th Annual National Day of Silence Honors the Memory of Lawrence King

While my alma mater, The University of Virginia, is certainly not the most liberal university in the country, I am pleased that it was at UVA in 1996 that students organized the first Day of Silence in response to a class assignment on non-violent protests. Over 150 students participated in that first Day of Silence, little knowing where their actions would lead. In 1997, organizers took their effort nationally and nearly 100 colleges and universities participated. Subsequently, in 2001, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network ("GLSEN") became the official organizational sponsor for the event. Now, this year, hundreds of thousands of students at varying grade levels will participate. Here are highlights concerning this year's event dedicated to Lawrence King (http://www.dayofsilence.org/content/news.html):

NEW YORK: This year’s National Day of Silence on April 25 will be held in memory of Lawrence King, a 15-year-old California student who was shot and killed at school in February by a 14-year-old classmate because of King’s sexual orientation and gender expression.The Day of Silence is held by students every year to bring attention to anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) name-calling, bullying and harassment. The senseless tragedy at E.O. Green Junior High in Oxnard, Calif., brings even more meaning to a day that has brought hope to millions of students.

Hundreds of thousands of students are expected to participate by taking some form of a vow of silence for the entire day or part of it. Their efforts will be supported by hundreds of community-based "Breaking the Silence" events at the end of the day. Together, concerned students will create a powerful call to action in order to prevent future tragedies.

GLSEN’s 2005 National School Climate Survey found that four out of five LGBT students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school and 29% report missing at least a day of school in the past month out of fear for their personal safety. The Day of Silence is one way students and their allies are making anti-LGBT bullying, harassment and name-calling unacceptable in America’s schools.