Day of Silence

The national Day of Silence, sponsored by GLSEN, brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. This year’s event is being held in memory of Lawrence King, a California 8th-grader who was shot and killed Feb. 12 by a classmate because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. Students from more than 6,000 schools around the country – a record number – have taken a vow of silence for the day in an effort to educate their peers on the issue.

Unfortunately, participants at many schools are facing protests, and some parents are even letting their students stay home to keep them out of the fray. In addition, the Alliance Defense Fund has a “Day Of Truth” planned for Monday, when anti-gay students will “counter the promotion of the homosexual agenda.”

Here’s a sample of the coverage of the events and controversy surrounding this important day in several states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Washington, Wisconsin