April 14, 2023: Day of Silence

WHEREAS, the National Day of Silence is a day in which students take a vow of silence to bring attention to anti-LGBTQ+ bullying, harassment, and discrimination faced by individuals in schools; and,

WHEREAS, the Gay Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) is a national nonprofit organization working to create safe learning environments in ; and,

WHEREAS, GLSEN designates one day of every April as the Day of Silence; and,

WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of students at thousands of schools have participated in the National Day of Silence in past years; and,

WHERES, GLSEN’s 2019 National School Climate Survey illustrates the pervasive harassment and victimization faced by LGBTQ+ middle and high school students by documenting their experiences within the preceding academic year; and,

WHEREAS, nearly 69 percent of LGBTQ+ students reported being verbally harassed by their peers at school because of their sexual orientation, and nearly 57 percent because of their gender expression; and, 

WHEREAS, nearly 26 percent of LGBTQ+ students reported being physically harassed by their peers at school because of their sexual orientation, and nearly 22 percent because of their gender expression; and, 

WHEREAS, 11 percent of LGBTQ+ students reported being physically assaulted by their peers at school because of their sexual orientation, and 9 percent because of their gender expression; and,

WHEREAS, nearly 45 percent of LGBTQ+ students reported being cyberbullied; and,

WHEREAS, 59 percent of LGBTQ+ students reported that they felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation, and nearly 33 percent reported missing at least one entire school day in the preceding month because of safety concerns; and,

WHEREAS, transgender students were more likely than all other students to report feeling unsafe at school because of their gender expression, and were more likely to report missing school or changing schools because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable; and,

WHEREAS, more than 77 percent of transgender students experienced discrimination at school; and,

WHEREAS, the presence of four supports – supportive educators, peer networks of support, comprehensive school and district policies, and curriculum that includes positive representations of LGBTQ+ people and history – contributed to a range of positive indicators including fewer reports of missing school, fewer reports of feeling unsafe, greater academic achievement, higher educational aspirations, and a greater sense of school belonging; and,

WHEREAS, a growing number of states, cities, and local educational agencies are adopting laws and policies to prohibit bullying, harassment, and discrimination against students on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; and,

WHEREAS, I recently signed legislation amending Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to reaffirm protections for sexual orientation and extend legal protections to include gender identity and gender expression; and,

WHEREAS, every child should be guaranteed an education free from bullying, harassment, and discrimination regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim April 14, 2023, as Day of Silence in Michigan.