A number of Tam students participated in the Day of Silence to conclude Rainbow Week on May 4. Both events put on by the Gay-Straight Alliance. “The Day of Silence,” said Foreign Language teacher Brian Zailian, “is a day when our school community has the opportunity to acknowledge and support those students who spend time at Tam, but whose characters are largely invisible to most of us.”

Sophomore Jason Zadovsky said, “I chose to participate because I myself am gay, and it means a lot to me, because it really reflects on everything I stand for. There are things that I can’t say, and that I can’t do as a person, because sometimes it’s just really scary to be yourself as an openly or even closeted gay student in high school.”

Science teacher John Ginsburg described Day of Silence as, “[a] recognition of all those people who feel that they have to be silent for one reason or another. Of course it’s focused on the LGBT community, but it can also be for students who are being bullied or saying no to drugs and peer pressure.” Zailian added, “For those who don’t understand, it can only be described as a day to show unity and support for one another.”

When asked why he chose to participate, Zadovsky said, “I think it’s important because it does make an impact. Even if people don’t think so, it really does. When I walked around the school on Day of Silence, and saw people participating, it made me smile and happy to know that there are people supporting me and that care for me, and are willing to take a day to be silent for those who are silenced.”