Hey all,
I was looking at the news today, just surfing through yahoo and such, when THIS ITEM caught my eye. Now you know I understand the need for rules and discipline--to an extent. Without it there can be chaos. But is this type of thing really necessary? Or have these authorities got WAAAAY around the bend?
According to the article, a little boy (Hunter), who is deaf, "signs his name
by crossing his forefinger and index finger and moving his hand up and
down." And the school district has made the outrageous demand that the child change his name. Why?
Because in their mind his sign looks like a gun.
Seriously? A gun? I guess people aren't allowed to cross their fingers for luck, either. Yes. It's that stupid!!!
The district claims that it violates a rule that forbids anything in the school that looks like a weapon and that they are "working with the parents to come to the best solution we can for the child."
The best solution? How about letting him be called by his name? And signing it. Any other solution would be ridiculous.
To add to the craziness, this isn't a sign the child just made up to irritate his teachers. His father reports it is a "a symbol. An actual sign, a registered sign, through S.E.E."
Why is it that so many authorities have gone overboard about this kind of thing? I know we've had some horrible tragedies in schools, but do they REALLY think allowing this preschooler to use his name could really cause anything similar to the shocking events in Colorado, or just recently in Baltimore, Maryland?
IMHO, that is just stupid. AND it disrespects the people who's lives were forever changed by those aforementioned tragedies.
Yes, we need rules and, yes, we need discipline. But for God's sake, choose your place and time to make those rules. Make sure the rules are correct and will make a difference.
Don't just have rules in reaction to being afraid, or even worse, to cover your ass. Rules are there to help people live. Not to smother us with stupidity!
I wonder...would little Bamm Bamm Rubble of The Flintstones cartoon be told he couldn't use his name at his school if he lived in this day and age? After all, his name could be said to "sound" like a weapon.
Ridiculous? You're damn right it is!!!
Hugs,
CJ England
http://cjengland.com
16 comments:
I couldn't agree more
This is happening in my home town, in the school system my children just graduated from! I cannot believe that it is even an issue! It's stupid and moronic and I would like to know who the first person was to raise concerns. *SIGH* I lost some respect for the school system. This is where I graduated also! *shaking head and muttering*
Twisted. These people have gone where no educator should go. I'm positive, with this increased awareness, that things will end up in this child's favor- as they should.
Well really! This is moronic in the extreme - how can anyone make such a fuss over a name? It's not even as if the signs are really that similar (no thumb up as the hammer for starters) nor is it in any way proper for the poor thing to be harassed over his name. To me that is tantamount to bullying by his supposedly 'wiser' elders.
From the comments I've seen online, there are a lot of us who feel the same way.
Are you serious, Phylis? This is your town? Wow! Please let me know what happens. I was so upset when I read this story,
You're right, Kissa. It is twisted in a real ugly way.
It is bullying, Ilona. I hadn't thought about it that way, but asking a child to change his name? Moronic AND harassment.
CJ,
I have the universal "sign" for the school district involved! Wish I could give it to them with both hands
~ellen
The only solution to this problem is to fire the school administration or send them back to school to learn how to do their job or recall the school board if elected.
Another child about the same age, son of a police officer drew a picture of his dad wearing a gun and was suspended. Fortunately in that case there was so much adverse publicity that the school officials in that district became the laughing stock of that entire state.
LOLOL, Ellen! Wait! Let me get my camera!!!!
Ray, your story is an excellent example of authority overstepping their intelligence AND their bounds. Suspending a child because he accurately represented his father in a preschool drawing? It doesn't get much stupider than that!!!!
Next they will do brain scans and suspend anyone who thinks of a gun.
Are we becoming less civilized as we gain more knowledge? George Orwell must be rolling in his grave. He had the year wrong, but he had the right idea.
Ray, you are so right!
CJ This joins my rants about the 'zero tolerance' rules in our schools. My son was suspended a few years ago for being attacked by a kid (even the teachers said he was innocent). He didn't fight back. Zero Tolerance is really 'zero thinking' and it is way worse than wrong.
I hope this kid's parents continue to fight.
*goggles* Your son got suspended for being beaten up? OMG... that is insane. But it sure shows the stupidity in our school system. Reason # 56748 I chose to home school!!!
Post a Comment