New Hampshire: Teaching tolerance

Merrimack High School will be among dozens of schools throughout the state participating in the Day of Silence, a student-led day of action when some students take a vow of silence to bring attention to the harassment experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

The Day of Silence, a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), is scheduled for Friday, April 25, at the high school, but other schools nationwide may hold the event on a different date.

In 1996, students at the University of Virginia organized the first Day of Silence in response to a class assignment on non-violent protests, according to www.dayofsilence.org. In 1997, more than 100 colleges and universities participated in the effort and, in 2001, GLSEN became the official organizational sponsor for the event.

In the past, nearly 4,000 K-12 schools and colleges have participated, and Merrimack High School Principal Ken Johnson said on Tuesday that the school has been involved since 2002.  See Teaching tolerance
Cabinet.com, NH