Judge Orders Reinstatement of Teen Suspended Over Rosary

[The Straight Story]

Judge Orders Reinstatement of Teen Suspended Over Rosary
Case Highlights First Amendment Free Speech Debate in U.S. Schools


A federal judge says a New York school must reinstate a 13-year-old boy who was suspended for wearing rosary beads.

Raymond Hosier, of Schenectady, New York, boy, filed a federal suit Tuesday against his middle school after he was repeatedly suspended for wearing a rosary, which he says is in memory of his older brother who died in a bike accident.

Hosier said he has worn the rosary since September, but in May was suspended three times, most recently two weeks ago, when he arrived at school with the beads outside his shirt.

"When I wear the rosary beads," Hosier says, "my brother's memory is alive." His brother, Joey Hosier, was holding the rosary when he died.

But Oneida Middle School officials contend Raymond Hosier violated a policy banning gang-related clothing because the prayer beads sometimes are worn as gang symbols.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/judge-orders-reinstatement-teen-suspended-rosary/story?id=10800814

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. I am still siding with the school on this one

I see gang violence first hand all the time. It ain't pretty. Hit here just yesterday.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=219x25348

[LLStarks]

2. Really? Are you going to be that insensitive? nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Wanting to keep kids safe is insensitive?

That's a new one.

[Renew Deal]

6. Safe from what?

Common Sense?

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Did you even bother to read the OP?

[Renew Deal]

10. Yes

which shows how ridiculous your response is.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. It's ridiculous for schools to keep kids safe - you've already made that claim

Got anything else?

I guess we can also assume you don't mind sending your child to school with gang bangers. I can make a couple recommendations if you want.

[Renew Deal]

16. No, it's ridiculous to apply all or nothing policies in the name of safety.

Was this kid a "gang banger?" Will his wearing of the beads promote gang membership?

[proud2BlibKansan]

29. I doesn't matter if he was a gang banger

He is at risk of being attacked or even killed by gang bangers when he even inadvertently sends a message to gang bangers.

Gang violence is real. And it is growing. We see it more and more often in school.

[Renew Deal]

5. Life isn't black and white

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. A good reason to err on the side of caution

[Renew Deal]

11. lol

:rofl:

[msanthrope]

22. You don't err on the side of caution with the 1st amendment....

not even when the school marms is a'scairt.....

Personally, I find the notion of magic beads ridiculous, but the student doesn't give up his right to wear religious gear based on the fear of a few school administrators.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

17. Why not give up a little bit of freedom for a little bit of security?

[vixengrl]

24. I absolutely appreciate where you are coming from.

Street violence and the existence of gangs is ruinous, and the power of gangs over the minds of young folks has to be broken, and the mythology that they are cool and meaningful also needs to be exploded, so that no child wants get wrapped up in that foolish business.

Which is why I don't see any point in attaching especial significance to their symbols. In fact, their signifying markers need to be made nonsensical and disregarded. The point that should really be made is--"You gang-belonging, signifying, color-following, sheep-ass children might as well be backwards fools who won't go any further than the schoolyard or the graveyard for all your trying to be something you have no business trying to be." And let them know their ignorance doesn't lend to old age or meaning, just blood on the street and a t-shirt tribute or a memorial in somebody's back-window for a year.

It isn't pretty. But telling them their signifying matters almost says to them, "You make us scared" instead of saying to them, "Your shit don't matter, because it's stupid."

The way I see it, if the boy wants to wear a rosary--no matter what that means people think of him, because people think what they do, it's his business and he's welcome to it. And the school shouldn't turn him out for it if they don't have anything to say he's anything but a good boy.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

32. Unlike when it first came up, I tend to support your position now

Originally it was framed as first offense of an unwritten rule. However, multiple violation after warnings is an entirely different matter.

[Renew Deal]

3. There are now religious themed gangs?

Padres Locos!

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Rosaries used as gang symbols

Rosaries Being Used As A Gang Symbol In Tahoe
http://cbs13.com/local/rosary.gang.symbol.2.1420504.html

Religious Rosaries - Gang Symbols?
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/61335/jewelry/religious_rosaries___gang_symbols.html

"It's become part of the look," said Victor Castro, a detective and school resource officer who leads gang awareness training in Hillsboro. "They use it as a reminder of protection."
http://www.knowgangs.com/news/mar08/0301.php

[Renew Deal]

14. So what?

Do you want to ban bread because it makes people fat? Do you want to ban cars because some people speed? Do you want to ban water because people drown?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

21. Cool! Gangs have the power to ban anything they want from schools!

All they have to do is "adopt object as symbol"!

If I was a gang leader I'd arrange for my gang carry pencils as symbols, and try to get a competing gang to adopt pens.

[msanthrope]

23. Next, we'll have the 'Science Textbook Crips' and the 'History

Textbook Bloods.'

I know this dates me horribly, but I can only remember one gang from The Shield...which is where I suspect many of these administrators get their info from...

[proteus_lives]

9. Good.

Zero Tolerance policies are retarded and an excuse not to think.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Keeping kids safe from gang violence is retarded?

[onenote]

18. no. zero tolerance policies are stupid

keeping kids safe from drugs isn't stupid, but expelling kids for having a tylenol in their locker or backpack is.

same thing with zero tolerance dress codes.

[proteus_lives]

19. You really approve of Zero Tolerance policies?

I thought you were supposed to be a good teacher.

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. When it comes to gang violence yes I do

One of the kids in our school neighborhood was murdered yesterday. He was 16. Another kid I know was beaten last week so badly he was hospitalized. He was 11. Both gang related crimes.

This isn't just a silly fad or passing fancy. Kids are dying. So yes, you bet I support anything we can do to keep them safe. That's what good teachers do.

[proteus_lives]

31. "you bet I support anything we can do to keep them safe"

Spoken like a true authoritarian.

Throwing Rights and common sense on the fire for "safety".

[madrchsod]

20. no wonder kids think adults are stupid....

[OrderedChaos]

25. Let him wear the beads

But, I would say he needs to keep them inside/ underneath his shirt if he insists on wearing them. There, a compromise has been reached.

[The Straight Story]

26. And if he wanted to wear something like, I dunno, A rainbow to support GLBT folks?

Should he keep that hidden as well out of fear that others might not like it and beat him up?

Fear, it drives so many things.

[OrderedChaos]

28. I was offering another option

other than just suspending him. But, I can see that this is a polarizing issue, and anyone who steps into (as I did) is going to get crap from someone, no matter whether they agree or disagree... so I am out of here. Keep on fighting over the stupid beads.

[glen123098]

27. Good decision.

Children deserve 1st amendment religious freedom, even when on school grounds. Claiming its gang affiliated is a stupid excuse. What if a gang adopted the cross as a symbol? Would we then ban the cross?

[OnlinePoker]

33. Would these same asshats who banned the kid do the same for say...

Hasidic Jews (gotta cut off that hair) or Sikhs (gotta get rid of that turban)? Not a chance. But because it's a Christian symbol it's okay. I think all religion is crap, but to deny someone the right to practice it how they want without physically harming anyone else...nobody has that right.