The Truth about the Day of Silence
Every year, more and more students participate in the Day of Silence, which began 13 years ago when University of Virginia students wanted to find a way to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment on campus. As the day’s popularity and exposure have increased, many misperceptions have spread about what the Day of Silence is, why the day exists and what participating in it means.
Here are 4 truths that address common misinformation about the Day of Silence.
1) The Day of Silence’s purpose is to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment and effective responses. The goal of the Day of Silence is to make schools safer for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. In a Harris Interactive study on bullying, students said two of the top three reasons students are harassed in school are actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender expression. Additionally, nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students experience harassment at school. Students across the country participate in the Day of Silence to bring attention to this problem, let students who experience such bullying know that they are not alone and ask schools to take action to address the problem.
2) Hundreds of thousands of students of all beliefs, backgrounds and sexual orientations participate in the Day of Silence. Anti-LGBT bullying and harassment affects all students. Slurs such as "faggot" and "dyke" are commonplace in school. The Day of Silence is an example of students, from middle school to college, working together proactively to bring attention to the anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment experienced by LGBT and straight students alike. The first GSA was created by a straight student over 20 years ago, in the fall of 1988.
3) Day of Silence participants encourage schools to implement proven solutions to address anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment. Adopt and implement a comprehensive anti-bullying policy that enumerates categories such as race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and gender expression/identity. Provide staff trainings to enable school staff to identify and address anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment effectively and in a timely manner. Support student efforts to address anti-LGBT bullying and harassment on campus, such as the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance. Institute age-appropriate, factually accurate and inclusive curricula to help students understand and respect difference within the school community and society as a whole.
4) The day is a positive educational experience. The Day of Silence is an opportunity for students to work toward improving school climate for all students. The day is most successful when schools and students work together to show their commitment to ensuring safe schools for all students. Many schools allow students’ participation throughout the day. Some schools ask students to speak as they normally would during class and remain silent during breaks and at lunch. There is no single way to participate, and students are encouraged to take part in the way that is the most positive and uplifting for their school.
For the latest GLSEN findings about anti-LGBT bullying and harassment and the school experience go to: www.glsen.org/research
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Bullying is a continuing and serious problem
"The case of a teenager in Massachusetts who killed herself after a relentless, months-long bullying campaign shows how the common schoolyard behavior is evolving in dangerous new ways online." (Reuters)
I would suggest it goes beyond the online social networks and beyond just having available technology. This is another tragic example of how cruel something that started in simple forms can become. The girl dated a guy another girl previously dated. That is an age-old high school story. It caused some anger, some hurt feelings and broken friendships. But it wasn't printed somewhere forever and repeated minute by minute instantly.
The technology allows me to say something to thousands of people instantly. I do not have to worry about one friend telling another friend and so on. I push send or click on the phone and the message - correct or incorrect - is off into the world. A joke in one class at 9 am can be throughout the entire student body and all their friends and all their friends by 9:01.
The same is true about a nasty comment. Even a correction made later might not get to all the people that heard or read the first statement. In fact I may read the correction prior to reading the first statement which means the nasty statement is the "latest" news.
The situation is tragic. The loss of a young person is painful. For the reason to be hate or anger or cruel joke makes it that much more disgusting. But what is the reaction?
New legislation that may put adults in jail or get a big fine -- most adults do not attend high school by the way. Well, you can get the court to find the young person as an adult and then he/she can be tried as an adult. Oh, that is a direct and quick solution to the problem of people being mean to one another.
Well, the school should take care of it. It all happened at school and there are lots of school people so they knew and they should be responsible and take care of it.
Knew that one was coming. Cell phones, electronic devises and other means of social networking are "not allowed" during regular school hours. All of us know that the cooperating kids follow those rules but even the parents are cell phoning and leaving text messages for their children during school hours. I love it when a student comes to the office to inform us that Mom is on her way because she was able to get the dental appointment. Yeah, you received that message via telepathic mental processes.
The school has a role, the parents have a role and the students have a role. When a student is being harrazed we need to put a stop to it. It is the silly he said, she said most of the time. One nonsense statement after another. If the child cannot figure out how to stop it, then take away the phone or the computer or whatever it is the allows for the mass distribution of nonsence. Repsonsibility is what we need to teach - at home and at school. A child needs to understand his/her accountibility in making these types of comments. It is not enough to say it is too persontal or private or they are just kids.
Making a statement in your back yard and being immediately accountible for that statement is vasting different than posting something out there in space with no voice or face or consequences.
If you believe your child is being bullied, it needs to be dealt with. That is in the home, inbetween hours and at school. Children spend more time out of school than they do in school. First, when, where, what and who? The messages come with some type of name (address) and in most cases your child knows the identity of the other person. Be parpared to file charges. Make prints, keep copies you need evidence to make a charge. And be prepared to read what the other parent has to show you.
This needs to stop. We need to respect ourselves and others more than is being displayed on national TV right now. Promoting violence is not a legitimate form and discussion or disagreement. People, including children, need to be held accountible for their words and mean spirits.
I would suggest it goes beyond the online social networks and beyond just having available technology. This is another tragic example of how cruel something that started in simple forms can become. The girl dated a guy another girl previously dated. That is an age-old high school story. It caused some anger, some hurt feelings and broken friendships. But it wasn't printed somewhere forever and repeated minute by minute instantly.
The technology allows me to say something to thousands of people instantly. I do not have to worry about one friend telling another friend and so on. I push send or click on the phone and the message - correct or incorrect - is off into the world. A joke in one class at 9 am can be throughout the entire student body and all their friends and all their friends by 9:01.
The same is true about a nasty comment. Even a correction made later might not get to all the people that heard or read the first statement. In fact I may read the correction prior to reading the first statement which means the nasty statement is the "latest" news.
The situation is tragic. The loss of a young person is painful. For the reason to be hate or anger or cruel joke makes it that much more disgusting. But what is the reaction?
New legislation that may put adults in jail or get a big fine -- most adults do not attend high school by the way. Well, you can get the court to find the young person as an adult and then he/she can be tried as an adult. Oh, that is a direct and quick solution to the problem of people being mean to one another.
Well, the school should take care of it. It all happened at school and there are lots of school people so they knew and they should be responsible and take care of it.
Knew that one was coming. Cell phones, electronic devises and other means of social networking are "not allowed" during regular school hours. All of us know that the cooperating kids follow those rules but even the parents are cell phoning and leaving text messages for their children during school hours. I love it when a student comes to the office to inform us that Mom is on her way because she was able to get the dental appointment. Yeah, you received that message via telepathic mental processes.
The school has a role, the parents have a role and the students have a role. When a student is being harrazed we need to put a stop to it. It is the silly he said, she said most of the time. One nonsense statement after another. If the child cannot figure out how to stop it, then take away the phone or the computer or whatever it is the allows for the mass distribution of nonsence. Repsonsibility is what we need to teach - at home and at school. A child needs to understand his/her accountibility in making these types of comments. It is not enough to say it is too persontal or private or they are just kids.
Making a statement in your back yard and being immediately accountible for that statement is vasting different than posting something out there in space with no voice or face or consequences.
If you believe your child is being bullied, it needs to be dealt with. That is in the home, inbetween hours and at school. Children spend more time out of school than they do in school. First, when, where, what and who? The messages come with some type of name (address) and in most cases your child knows the identity of the other person. Be parpared to file charges. Make prints, keep copies you need evidence to make a charge. And be prepared to read what the other parent has to show you.
This needs to stop. We need to respect ourselves and others more than is being displayed on national TV right now. Promoting violence is not a legitimate form and discussion or disagreement. People, including children, need to be held accountible for their words and mean spirits.
Watching People Fly Around in Space
I am not up on the latest blast-off or which satellite is where in the sky, but this morning I watched the International Space Station (ISS) and the docked space shuttle Discovery whiz across the sky. The whole thing lasted about three minutes.
Learning is fasinating. So I learned that there are currently 14 people in the ISS and that is the most people in space at one ever. The light being reflected from its surfaces, which are what we see, was bright and clearly distinguishable. Yes, it helps if you know where to look and at what time - that was 5:50 something am and SSW - thanks to sister and brother -in-law.
I am not exactly sure what I am going to do with this new knowledge nor do I have any plans on how to use this morning's experience. What I do know is that there are some exciting things happening in this world. Our kids are growing up with this stuff just as common day events. Quick quiz -- when did the Discovery launch which is docked at the ISS now? Don't be too shy, it was last week or so but I can't come up with the date -- I do know how to look up the information and in a pinch could generate the answer but it is not in my memory at this moment.
On the other hand I can almost tell you what I was wearing when I was staring at a black and white TV through lots of static and watched the first moon landing. None of the kids in high school right now lived through anything prior to 1992. They are part of a new and different place. I hope it is also exciting. They will be doing stuff and making their living doing stuff we once upon a time might have thought about as science fiction - if we could even image something that so far out.
Just in case you wondering here at the times in the next few days for the sighting of the docked space shuttle and ISS:
April 11 - 5:54 am WSW
April 12 - 4:46 am SSE
April 13 - 5:09 am W
April 14 - 5:32 am W
April 15 - 4:23 am N
Happy hunting -- learn something new today!
Learning is fasinating. So I learned that there are currently 14 people in the ISS and that is the most people in space at one ever. The light being reflected from its surfaces, which are what we see, was bright and clearly distinguishable. Yes, it helps if you know where to look and at what time - that was 5:50 something am and SSW - thanks to sister and brother -in-law.
I am not exactly sure what I am going to do with this new knowledge nor do I have any plans on how to use this morning's experience. What I do know is that there are some exciting things happening in this world. Our kids are growing up with this stuff just as common day events. Quick quiz -- when did the Discovery launch which is docked at the ISS now? Don't be too shy, it was last week or so but I can't come up with the date -- I do know how to look up the information and in a pinch could generate the answer but it is not in my memory at this moment.
On the other hand I can almost tell you what I was wearing when I was staring at a black and white TV through lots of static and watched the first moon landing. None of the kids in high school right now lived through anything prior to 1992. They are part of a new and different place. I hope it is also exciting. They will be doing stuff and making their living doing stuff we once upon a time might have thought about as science fiction - if we could even image something that so far out.
Just in case you wondering here at the times in the next few days for the sighting of the docked space shuttle and ISS:
April 11 - 5:54 am WSW
April 12 - 4:46 am SSE
April 13 - 5:09 am W
April 14 - 5:32 am W
April 15 - 4:23 am N
Happy hunting -- learn something new today!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Summer OnLine Classes
Interested in Online Summer School this summer?
Minneapolis Online Learning will be offering one online summer session from June 10th to July 1st. Go to http://online.mpls.k12.mn.us to register.
Summer School registration tab is located on the left hand side of the page. After you have completed the registration for your selected classes, print out the Registration Form.
You and your parents and counselor MUST sign this form and you need to take this form to your orientation session.
If you have specific questions about Online Summer School please contact the Minneapolis Online Office at 612-668-4136.
PLEASE NOTE: Students can only take one quarter of Fitness or Health during this session.
Minneapolis Online Learning will be offering one online summer session from June 10th to July 1st. Go to http://online.mpls.k12.mn.us to register.
Summer School registration tab is located on the left hand side of the page. After you have completed the registration for your selected classes, print out the Registration Form.
You and your parents and counselor MUST sign this form and you need to take this form to your orientation session.
If you have specific questions about Online Summer School please contact the Minneapolis Online Office at 612-668-4136.
PLEASE NOTE: Students can only take one quarter of Fitness or Health during this session.
SW General Scholarship Application
Southwest General Scholarship Application
Seniors: The SW General Scholarship Application is now available to be completed on Naviance.
Please log in to your Naviance account, and you can find the scholarship under “surveys to take” in the “about me” tab.
There are over 12 different scholarships available using this ONE application. The deadline is 10:59 pm on April 15, 2010.
As always, you are encourage not to wait til the last minute. Students must complete the application and then submit additional forms.
See Ms. Jastrow for more info.http://southwest.mpls.k12.mn.us/special_event_spaceholder.html
Seniors: The SW General Scholarship Application is now available to be completed on Naviance.
Please log in to your Naviance account, and you can find the scholarship under “surveys to take” in the “about me” tab.
There are over 12 different scholarships available using this ONE application. The deadline is 10:59 pm on April 15, 2010.
As always, you are encourage not to wait til the last minute. Students must complete the application and then submit additional forms.
See Ms. Jastrow for more info.http://southwest.mpls.k12.mn.us/special_event_spaceholder.html
Films at SW Wed April 14 7 pm
Forget the Oscars!
The Southwest FilmFest is Wednesday at 7:00 in the auditorium. The cost is $5 and proceeds go to building an awesome film program.
Our own SW students have worked hard producing these films!
The Southwest FilmFest is Wednesday at 7:00 in the auditorium. The cost is $5 and proceeds go to building an awesome film program.
Our own SW students have worked hard producing these films!
PTSA Meeting 7 pm 4/13 Connecting with your teen
Communicating and Connecting with Your Teen
PTSA Meeting Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Kathleen Kimball-Baker Kathleen Kimball-Baker, the author of two books on building relationships with teens, including Tag, You’re It: 50 Easy Ways to Connect with Teens, currently works in public health at the University of Minnesota.
Her presentation combines the latest research in positive youth development, adolescent brain research, her work with Search Institute, and her personal experiences both as a parent and a friend to many teens.
You’ll see your parenting challenges and your teens in a new, more hopeful light following Kathleen’s presentation.http://southwest.mpls.k12.mn.us/uploads/ptsa_meetings_2009-10.pdf
PTSA Meeting Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Kathleen Kimball-Baker Kathleen Kimball-Baker, the author of two books on building relationships with teens, including Tag, You’re It: 50 Easy Ways to Connect with Teens, currently works in public health at the University of Minnesota.
Her presentation combines the latest research in positive youth development, adolescent brain research, her work with Search Institute, and her personal experiences both as a parent and a friend to many teens.
You’ll see your parenting challenges and your teens in a new, more hopeful light following Kathleen’s presentation.http://southwest.mpls.k12.mn.us/uploads/ptsa_meetings_2009-10.pdf
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