Ty Taufaasau knows what it’s like to be silenced. He says he knew he liked guys by as early as middle school. He came out as gay in ninth grade. But it wasn’t easy.

“I was sheltered as a child, so when I found out I was gay it was hard to tell people,” Taufaasau says.

The Renton High senior went back to his silent ways at school Friday.

This time his silence was more visible.

Taufaasau and about 250 classmates wore black T-shirts Friday that read, “Day of Silence.” Many plastered their mouths with duct tape. They handed out cards telling students and teachers they would not be speaking for the day. Their goal was to illustrate the silencing effect that bullying and harassment has on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.

Shortly after school let out Friday, the quiet students gathered around the flagpole and celebrated their success.

Joe Bento led the countdown. Bento is adviser for Renton High’s Gay-Straight Alliance, which managed the student-run, national day of activism at Renton High.

“Three, two, one…” Bento and the students chanted.

Blast off! Duct tape ripped from mouths and candy and voices flew skyward. After more than five hours, students were breaking the silence.

And that’s the point of the Day of Silence — to make students and teachers aware of the discrimination that GLBT students face — and to halt that mistreatment.

“It’s a symbol,” Bento says of the Days of Silence. “Basically it’s a symbol of knowing what it’s like not being able to speak out. To know what it’s like to be silenced.”

That silencing happens at Renton High as much as at any other school, Bento says.

“It’s high school,” he says. “Bullying and harassment happens a lot.”

Sophomore Brittni Shackewyc has learned to ignore what she calls the “little bit” of harassment.

“It’s easy to ignore. They don’t know what they’re talking about,” she says.

Shackewyc calls herself GAP (gay and proud) for life, as represented by a bracelet she wears.

This is Shackewyc’s second year participating in the Day of Silence.

The first year she had to tell her fellow students that the day of nonviolent protest is not a joke.

LGBT students face greater risks than their straight peers, Bento says. He says LGBT students are more likely to drop out of school or commit suicide than their straight classmates.

But most students who stayed silent Friday fared well.

Renton High Assistant Principal Ed Crow says the day went smoothly, with no interruptions.

Randy Matheson said the same about the day district-wide. Matheson is spokesperson for the Renton School District.

About 20 students signed up for the Day of Silence at Hazen High, Matheson said. He did not hear about any participation at Lindbergh or Black River high schools.

The district did not receive any calls from community members or parents about the Day of Silence, Matheson said.

“It’s gone on a couple years now,” Matheson said. “It’s not new. It might be something that parents and students understand and are used to.”

Bento says this was at least the sixth year that Renton High students have participated in Day of Silence. Participation is voluntary.

“I think it was great,” Bento said. “It was a positive experience. An awesome, productive day.”