Hushing a Day of Silence

By FRANK SCHULTZ
GazetteXtra
Janesville, WI

JANESVILLE — America’s culture wars boiled over at the Janesville School Board meeting Tuesday.

District residents and some board members questioned the activities of the Gay Straight Alliance, which has student chapters at Craig and Parker high schools.

The alliances have been hanging informational posters around their schools all week, leading up to the annual Day of Silence, a nationally organized effort to protest bullying of students who are lesbian, gay or transgender.

“Our children are at stake, here. I’m really, really upset,” district resident Carol Winters said about exposure to the posters.

Friday is the national Day of Silence, when students may decide not to speak in classes or in the hall to protest harassment of students who are not heterosexual.

The local clubs have observed days of silence for about five years, said Director of Student Services Karen Schulte.

full article