Johnny may not be able to read, write or do math, but he sure knows a lot about left-wing activism.

In a school year strewn with protests and walkouts such as those inspired in reaction to the Parkland massacre, the annual school-based, Rainbow Mafia-driven protest known as the “Day of Silence” may not pack the punch it has in previous years — particularly when the very nature of the protest is that of not speaking out verbally.

But for those of us who graduated in an age free of endless interruptions for every left-wing cause imaginable, an explanation is in order. According to GLSEN, the permanent acronym that used to stand for Gay and Lesbian Independent School Teachers Network, an organization that promotes a pro-“LGBTQ” agenda: “The Day of Silence is a national movement to highlight the silencing and erasure of LGBTQ students in school, which demands that school leaders take action to be more inclusive.” Instead of speaking, students are instructed to hand out small cards that express the GLSEN talking points. Participating schools may also have silent classes if the particular teachers support the idea.

Perhaps wearied by the parade of political protests in the schools, this year some groups are pushing back against the GLSEN agenda. The American Family Association describes the heavy-handed tactics of the Day of Silence this way: “Student activists and even school officials encourage students to be silent for the entire day as a sign of solidarity with the international LGBT movement. Students are encouraged to wear special pro-homosexual badges, stickers, and bracelets — which are often handed out at the school entrances that day. There are also pro-LGBT posters in the hallways, handouts, and even workshops.” To that end, the counterprotest is for parents to call their kids out of class on the Day of Silence, which is held today in most participating schools.

The Illinois Family Institute, one of the groups backing that effort, wrote in an open letter to parents encouraging them to take their kids out of participating schools for the day, “While it is appropriate to teach acceptance of people, meaning that we should treat all with civility, it is not appropriate to suggest that students need to accept the view that homosexual conduct is moral. These important distinctions are never made in public school discussions of ‘acceptance.’”

This distinction and exhortation to be truly tolerant echoes a point made by our own Mark Alexander in a treatise about gender dysphoria. He wrote, “Unfortunately, it is much easier to uphold sin than it is to confront sin and love the sinner enough to guide him toward healing. This accounts for why most homosexuals are abandoned to their misery.” And leftists call this “tolerance.”

Unfortunately, whether the children are silent or skip school altogether, we endure the hijacking of another valuable school day from learning institutions that are already failing us through “educational fraud.” Johnny may not be able to read, write or do math, but he sure knows a lot about left-wing activism — which seems to be the perfect prerequisite for the modern American university experience.

In its 22-year history, the Day of Silence has always been held in April, and a growing number of schools are embracing it. Yet as a perfect contrast, an event held toward the beginning of the academic year enjoys an even longer tradition that schools seldom go out of their way to promote. Perhaps this is because the event is thoughtfully scheduled so as to not occur during the school day proper. And this is because “See You at the Pole” promotes the religion and values of … our Creator.

It’s a lesson that, now more than ever, is well worth speaking up to support.