By Lillian Kiehner

Staff Writer

For most, bullying is a touchy subject. Many try not to think about it, or think that it even happens at the high school. For those that are being bullied, they have no choice but to think and live with it.

“People think, ‘It’s 2019, there’s no bullying going on,’” junior Falon Smith said. “Bullying is still relevant.”

The GLSEN website describes the purpose of the day “GLSEN’s Day of Silence, on April 12th 2019, is a student-led national event where folks take a vow of silence to highlight the silencing and erasure of LGBTQ people at school.”

GSA club members have set up and planned the Day of Silence for participating students at the high school. Sign ups went around the last club period in hopes of getting as many people to join.

Before Apr. 12, students will receive a badge and a paper explaining what they are participating in and what it means. Those participating will be silent all day on Apr. 12 until the breaking of the silence that occurs in period 8.

The purpose of being silent focuses on those that have already taken their lives and brings light to those that have thought or attempted and what it would sound like without them.

The goal of this event it to show support for LGBTQ community members and to show the diversity in the community. They want to bring light to the harassment and bullying that is happening to many students, not just in this school, but across the world.

“Last year people would rip down the posters, crumple them up, and then keep them. I don’t know if this happened to anyone else, but I know they would throw the crumpled poster at me.” Kaydie Dellinger, a sophomore, said. “I would be like ‘Oh, that was a poster I worked on and hung up.’”

“This year, I’m not saying it’s better, but it’s definitely not worse.” Jamie Bredlinger, a sophomore, said about their posters being ripped down. “And people are putting them back up.”

Those participating are not all just LGBTQ. Many supporters and straight allies have signed up for the event, according to GSA club members. People that support the community can join the mission to bring an end to the bullying.

“It wasn’t just GSA posters people were tearing down, they would also take down color guard posters and The Leonid bake sale posters,” said Falon. “They only seem to be torn down once the Day of Silence comes around.”

When the club went around asking people to sign up, people would sign up as jokes or immediately laugh at them. Most sign ups came from three different clubs that were Anime, Aevidum, and NAHS.

“Sign up, even if you’re the only one,” Smith said.

GSA members opened up their club Instagram as a safe space for those that need it. Follow them @rlash_gsa.