by David E. Smith (Illinois Family Institute)
The annual "Day of Silence" (DOS) will be taking place nationally this Friday, on April 25th (some schools will hold DOS activities on other days).
This annual event is sponsored by the radical pro-homosexual Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), and is intended to highlight perceived or real discrimination allegedly suffered by homosexuals. Participating students remain silent for the school day as an act of protest.
In addition to being silent, the participating students and teachers hand out cards that describe the harassment, discrimination and prejudice that homosexual, bisexual and transgender people supposedly face every day.
The ultimate goal of this exercise is to promote homosexual behavior as normal and further a dangerous agenda that blatantly attempts to marginalize anyone who holds to a traditional view of marriage and sexual morality. Beyond the indoctrination, the event undeniably disrupts the entire school day and the learning process.
"There is a growing crisis in our public schools (and some private schools, too): under the guise of making the classroom "safe, welcoming and respectful of every child" -- to quote the homosexual activist group PFLAG -- educational authorities are promoting dangerous and sinful sexual lifestyles to students," said Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans For Truth. "By pulling their child from school on the Day of Silence, parents can send a strong message that they will not allow their children's moral conscience to be corrupted by homosexual and transsexual propaganda."
"The CDC reported that 71 percent of male HIV cases in 2005 involved 'men who have sex with men.' How on earth can schools promote this lifestyle to impressionable students in the name of 'safety'?" LaBarbera said.
The Illinois Family Institute encourages parents to call their child's school and inquire about whether the school is officially sanctioning the "Day of Silence" this year. Parents should be aware that some schools do not officially recognize the "Day of Silence," but allow student Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA) to participate "unofficially" -- in other words, allow them to be silent in class. It is important that parents know when this day will be taking place so that they can properly address the subject with their student, either by keeping them home that day or reinforcing their own beliefs and values.
