As the school year flies by and students across MA get ready to turn another page on the calendar, our Sex on the School Calendar comes to the forefront again. That’s because while most families are focused on spring sports, April vacation, and Easter celebrations, gender and sexuality activists are preparing for two significant observances that both land on next week – and might just land in your child’s school.
Monday, March 31st is International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV). This observance, started in 2009 by a trans-identifying social worker from Michigan, is now celebrated around the world – and that includes in many MA schools. Friday, April 4th is the Day of (No) Silence, an event founded by the activist organization Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Originally called the Day of Silence, where students remained silent to raise awareness for their cause, this day was transformed last year into a day of outspoken activism. Additionally, GLSEN introduced Week of (No) Silence last year, expanding the observance to an entire week. You can read more about these observances on the Massachusetts Informed Parents Substack site here.
What does this mean for MA public schools? In some schools, these days may not be promoted, while in others, these events could be recognized both inside and outside the classroom. Here are a few examples of observances we’ve found in Massachusetts schools over the past few years. Last April, Gibbs School in Arlington MA, papered their halls with “TRANS” signs for TDOV, colored by students and staff. Gibbs School only serves 6th graders. In 2023, students at Concord-Carlisle Regional High School participated in a walkout on TDOV to protest “anti-LGBTQIA+” legislation. And students and staff at Barnstable Public Schools marked the 2023 Day of Silence by wearing a piece of duct tape to visibly signal their protest making it obvious at a glance which students and staff were not “allies.”
Many private schools also participate in these events. For example, Landmark School, a boutique school on the North Shore focused on students with language-based learning disabilities, observed the Day of (No) Silence last year with a guest speaker, pledges for students to sign, pronoun pins, and a student presentation. Since some Landmark students are residential, their parents may be completely unaware that their children were offered “they/them” pins at school.
While some districts wholeheartedly endorse observances like TDOV and the Day of (No) Silence, others allow them because they are masqueraded as student-led activities (typically organized by a Gender Sexuality Alliance club or similar club) centered on kindness and inclusion. But based on what we have seen, sexuality days like TDOV and Day of (No) Silence are far more often politically or ideologically motivated demonstrations led or encouraged by adult staff members or propped up by outside organizations like GLSEN. To add to their political bona fides, as part of their 2025 Day of (No) Silence campaign
GLSEN has even provided an “Action Guide” for students on how to engage their elected representatives to oppose “anti-LGBTQ policies,” including a script for them to use!
Regardless of the level of district support TDOV and Day of (No) silence receive or who is organizing them, parents need to be aware of these observances. Even when they are “optional,” students feel social pressure to participate. Find out today if your child’s school is participating in any of these events next week so that you can decide how to navigate this issue for your family.
Is your district observing these events? To keep us in the loop with what’s happening in your town, email Jess Richardson, [email protected].
Finally, remember, your child still has constitutional rights regardless of what your school decides to endorse or support. If your child is forced to participate in an event like TDOV or Day of (No) Silence at school or pressured by a staff member to indicate support for a position that contradicts their beliefs, their rights may have been violated. Also, if your school permits a student activity club like a GSA to meet and host events, they must provide the same approval for other groups, like a Bible or pro-life club. Reach out if your child was denied the ability to start such a club, or if you believe their right to free speech has been violated, contact Massachusetts Liberty Legal Center, [email protected] today.
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