Today marks the 30th annual “Day of Silence“ glsen.org/dayofnosilence.

The First Amendment protects public school students’ right to participate in the Day of Silence so long as it does not materially and substantially interfere with the operation of the school. And when students choose not to participate, the First Amendment protects them as well.

We at FAIR seek to deliver on our mission by supporting diversity without division. The Day of Silence can be an occasion for students to honor their many differences. On the other hand, we have also seen instances where the Day of Silence leads to unfortunate and unnecessary division among students. In these cases, students feel so ostracized that they withdraw from class participation or avoid attending school altogether.

Whether the issue is immigration enforcement, LGBTQ solidarity, or any other cause students feel moved to speak out about, the constitutional framework is the same, and every parent, student, and school administrator deserves to understand it clearly.

That is why we have drafted a TEMPLATE LETTER fairforall.org/day-of-s…for all to use. This template discusses the important constitutional protections and limitations at play in student protests of all kinds, including the Day of Silence.

If you feel that a thoughtful dialogue with your child’s school on this topic would be valuable, this letter is for you.