Day of Silence: Observed in our School District

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Denise_SHJ

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Hello All,

I’m writing because tomorrow, my daughter’s public highschool is oberving the “Day of Silence”. (They observed it last year, however, I only became aware of DOS a couple months back).

I wrote the school an email, asking for any and all information they could provide me with regards to the DOS, IE: What is expected (or not expected) of the students. I wanted to hear it from the school, itself, since it is on the list of public schools participating in the DOS.

My email was extremely courteous and non-condemning. I only requested information. Well, my friends, it’s been over three weeks, and no one has gotten back to me with any information. Neither in email or snail mail.

I would like to know if any parents, here, who have children in participating public schools, are going to keep them home. Also, when you call your children out, what reason will you be giving to excuse your child’s absense?

Any assistance on this would be deeply appreciated, as it appears I am the only one (out of my daughters friends’ parents) who intends to keep her child home. The general concenses is: “It’s no big deal”.
Also, I don’t want to sound prejudiced against people, nor do I want them to think we “hate” homosexuals or that we are “homophobes”. We have never taught our children to hate.

As a Catholic Christian, I strongly disagree with their life-style and do not want it imposed on my daughter. Especially, in a place of education. Unfortunately, the GLSEN believes this is exactly where their beliefs and/or life-style should be taught.

Isn’t this “Day of Silence” taking away my daughter’s right to express verbally that she disagrees with homosexuality and/or homosexual behavior?

Thanks for any advice you can give me on this, as I want to know exactly what I’m talking about when I call her out of school, tomorrow, and explain why.

God Bless!

In Jesus’ Name,

Denise
 
How can you find a list of schools that are participating? I went to the website and can not seem to find a list of participating schools.
 
Sina said:
Hi Denise!

I know a few months back we discussed this in the Parenting Forum. Here is a link.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=223660&highlight=day+of+silence

👍
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Hi Sina,

Thank you very much for your response.

I went over to the site and read all the posts. Unfortunately, I can’t find the answers I’m looking for, which is basically: What are other parents in my position going to tell the school when they call their children out, tomorrow.
Again, I don’t want to come across as a bigot, hateful or a homophobe (and any other labels they use against those of us who disagree with their life-style).

I also need to know if this imposition is taking away my daughter’s (as well as other students who disagree with homosexual behavior) Freedom of Speech right.

I deeply regret finding out about the DOS agenda so late. Not a word was mentioned about it, last year. My daughter never said anything.
In fact, I found it quite odd that she was surprised when I mentioned it to her a couple months ago.
It was one of those: “How did you find out?” looks, which immediately put me on “Red Alert”.
Is this something that the schools are trying to keep parents from finding out, as much as possible? - Serioulsy, my daughter was stunned when I asked her about DOS.

Thanks again and God Bless!

Denise
 
Some of schools are on vacation so the events will take place April 30th. Some have already had the event.Here is a picture of one of many t-shirts that will be handed out in MA according to MassResistance.

Gay-Straight Alliances(GLSEN) are asking students to wear pink.

In North Carolina, one local board tried to make a ruling that the students who skipped school would not be punished but failed so hopefully the students who stay home will not be punished.

If a teacher calls on the silent student, he/she doesn’t have to respond. It is just causing more conflict.
 
I’d call the school and ask your original questions and why you did not get a response in the first place. I would then keep my daughter home and tell them it is because of the day of silence. What will happen if you do that?
 
gam197 said:
Some of schools are on vacation so the events will take place April 30th. Some have already had the event.Here is a picture of one of many t-shirts that will be handed out in MA according to MassResistance.

Gay-Straight Alliances(GLSEN) are asking students to wear pink.

In North Carolina, one local board tried to make a ruling that the students who skipped school would not be punished but failed so hopefully the students who stay home will not be punished.

If a teacher calls on the silent student, he/she doesn’t have to respond. It is just causing more conflict.
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Hi gam,

Wow, I didn’t know the schools had the right to punish students who stay home on the DOS.
I thought the most they’d get is an Unexcused Absense.

Since this DOS observation is somehow being kept quiet from many parents, I honestly can’t see how they can turn around and punish kids for staying home IF/WHEN parents find out.
Really; I haven’t spoken to one parent who even knew what the “Day of Silence” was, let alone the fact that our public schools are imposing it on our kids. It’s sort of sneaky, in my opinion.
Amazing!

Thanks and God Bless!

Denise
 
Well you’re at it, ask the school when they are going to observe a day of slince for the 4000 plus babies who are aborted every day here in America, or when your daughter can bring a priest to school to talk about abstinence to the students.

Seriously, if you tell the truth about keeping your child home from shcool, they will more than likely not be excused, but I wouldn’t let that stop me. One un-excused absence shouldn’t hurt any child.
 
an unexcused absence can be the punishment.
many schools do not allow make up work for unexcused absences and require detention for it.
 
HouseArrest said:
I’d call the school and ask your original questions and why you did not get a response in the first place. I would then keep my daughter home and tell them it is because of the day of silence. What will happen if you do that?
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Actually HouseArrest,

I would rather have gone to the school to speak to someone face-to-face. Unfortunately, I don’t trust the head of the Gay & Lesbian support group staff memeber NOT to try and twist my words around to make me look like a homophobic, hateful bigot.
I’ve never been very good at debating and getting my point across w/out it being misinterpreted (intentionally or unintentionally).

It will be a lot easier for me to just call her out, tomorrow, and explain to the secretary that my daughter will not be attending due to the school’s active participation in the DOS.

If I had a couple other parents backing me up, I wouldn’t have a problem with going and talking to them.

Thanks for your reply.

God Bless!

Denise
 
RichT said:
Well you’re at it, ask the school when they are going to observe a day of slince for the 4000 plus babies who are aborted every day here in America, or when your daughter can bring a priest to school to talk about abstinence to the students.

Seriously, if you tell the truth about keeping your child home from shcool, they will more than likely not be excused, but I wouldn’t let that stop me. One un-excused absence shouldn’t hurt any child.
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I hear ya’, Rich! You got it!

I’m not worried about an Unexcused Absense. My kids have missed school w/out my calling them out in the past (sometimes I even forget to send notes with them on the day they return). All that amounted to was an “Unexcused Absense” marked on their report cards. That’s the least of my worries. It didn’t stop my son from getting into Villanova University.

To RobsWife: If they did issue her a detention for missing school tomorrow, I believe I can insist she not honor it.
If they decide to make an example of her and threaten suspension, I can always try to contact our Catholic Champion, Bill Donoghue <sp?> 😃
Seriously though; I truly hope it wouldn’t go that far.

God Bless!

Denise
 
Shhhhh. Parents are not suppose to talk about this.

Our local public high school is “participating”. (For reasons such as this, we keep our chidren out of public school everyday.) As resident of the district and as a taxpayer, I called the superintendant to express my concern about this “day of silence”. I don’t know if I got the whole story. What I heard was a sort of non-observance observance. Expected participation in class, yet teachers have receivied information that might change their classroom management style for the day, but maybe not. It all depends. They’re very tolerant, you know, unless someone disagrees. How tolerant they would be of a student who speaks up when the teacher asks for silence? On the typical day, teachers aren’t very tolerant of speaking out of turn. Will tommorrow be different?
 
gardenswithkids said:
Shhhhh. Parents are not suppose to talk about this.

Our local public high school is “participating”. (For reasons such as this, we keep our chidren out of public school everyday.) As resident of the district and as a taxpayer, I called the superintendant to express my concern about this “day of silence”. I don’t know if I got the whole story. What I heard was a sort of non-observance observance. Expected participation in class, yet teachers have receivied information that might change their classroom management style for the day, but maybe not. It all depends. They’re very tolerant, you know, unless someone disagrees. How tolerant they would be of a student who speaks up when the teacher asks for silence? On the typical day, teachers aren’t very tolerant of speaking out of turn. Will tommorrow be different?
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Hi Gardenwithkids,

I wish we were in a position to send my daughter to Catholic school. Unfortunately, with my son in college, it’s not an option. My sole consolation is that she only has one more year to go. Then she’s out, and hopefully to a Catholic College. God Willing.

God Bless!

Denise
 
Denise_SHJ said:
Hi Gardenwithkids,

I wish we were in a position to send my daughter to Catholic school. Unfortunately, with my son in college, it’s not an option. My sole consolation is that she only has one more year to go. Then she’s out, and hopefully to a Catholic College. God Willing.

God Bless!

Denise
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Believe me, I know this one. Private Catholic high school is expensive and so is college. We homeschool through 8th grade, then use a private Catholic school, but I don’t know if we can afford the private high school for all our children. Most of our friends send their high-school aged children to public schools. We need good Catholic parents (like you) knowing what’s going on in public schools and getting involved. Thank you and God bless.
 
Our local public school high school principal was shocked to know that the school was on the list. He said that the school was not and never has observed this day.

The list is not accurate.
 
Denise_SHJ said:
I would like to know if any parents, here, who have children in participating public schools, are going to keep them home. Also, when you call your children out, what reason will you be giving to excuse your child’s absense?

My son’s private CATHOLIC school is on the list. Not every teacher participates, but a few do. My kids go to school, but talk! (rather incessantly on this day!)

Any assistance on this would be deeply appreciated, as it appears I am the only one (out of my daughters friends’ parents) who intends to keep her child home. The general concenses is: “It’s no big deal”.

IMO, it is not. Of course, mine are in high school, so they understand it. My boys will talk in the hall during passing time, ask questions of teachers (some of whom may write answers instead of verbalizing, so then they ask what they know will be really involved answers!)😃
Also, I don’t want to sound prejudiced against people, nor do I want them to think we “hate” homosexuals or that we are “homophobes”. We have never taught our children to hate.

As a Catholic Christian, I strongly disagree with their life-style and do not want it imposed on my daughter. Especially, in a place of education. Unfortunately, the GLSEN believes this is exactly where their beliefs and/or life-style should be taught.

Isn’t this “Day of Silence” taking away my daughter’s right to express verbally that she disagrees with homosexuality and/or homosexual behavior?

Nope, not at all. She can talk! She can ask teachers questions, talk to friends at lunch time, etc. Have her be a rebel!

Thanks for any advice you can give me on this, as I want to know exactly what I’m talking about when I call her out of school, tomorrow, and explain why.

God Bless!

In Jesus’ Name,

Denise
Click to expand...
 
Hi Catholic90,

Well, unfortunately, my 17 y/o daughter has already been indoctrinated to their way of thinking. (Live and let live).

She’s fighting me tooth and nail about not attending school, tomorrow. Worst part is; my husband doesn’t see any problem with it, so I don’t exactly have him to back me up on this.

At least I tried.

Again, thank you all for your (name removed by moderator)ut. It has been much appreciated.

God Bless,

Denise
 
May I ask a question?

Let the LGBTQASDFG people do their thing. Our kids in public scvhool go to school, participate in class. Answer questions.

What’s wrong with our kids going and obviously not supporting the Day of Silence?
 
If your school will promote this, keep your kids home and let them know why.
 
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