Posted by Tina
It’s been going on for years and it’s gotten plain ridiculous. Children are being punished and denied their religious freedom rights in our schools when they bring religious items to school, read the Bible on their own time, pray quietly to themselves, or use religious quotes or songs in a commencement address. The latest example comes to us from New York:
HAVERSTRAW (WABC) — The parents of a high school student from Rockland County are demanding answers after their ninth grader was suspended for wearing rosary beads to school. ** He was suspended even though the school doesn’t even have a policy banning them. So did the principal go too far? Jason Laguna is a former altar boy and proud Catholic. He got his rosary beads as a gift, thinks they look cool and sometimes wears them under his shirt at school. But last Friday, right before dismissal, he pulled them out on his way out. He was given a one-day suspension from Fieldstone Secondary School. His mother calls the punishment extreme, considering the 14-year-old is a member of student government and, according to his last report card, “is a pleasure to have in class.” Laguna says she was told the school has an unwritten policy regarding beads because they could be used to show gang affiliation. The principal claims it was insubordination, saying Laguna’s actions, “endangered the safety, health, morals or welfare of himself or others.” Jason was supposed to stay home Friday, but late Thursday the district superintendent put that on hold pending further investigation. It may not be divine intervention, but his mother has contacted the American Civil Liberties Union as she continues to fight the suspension.
I understand the problems this principle has with gangs and gang violence. I also understand the PC pressures principles must work under as they try to be effective authority figures. If a principle doesn’t have the ability to apply reason within his authority he is reduced to being a dictator rather than an educator. A more appropriate punishment for this good student might have been to have him write an essay on religious freedom in America or the purpose of school rules. Instead the principle was reduced to treating this student as if he were a gang member. This sends the wrong message to gang members, e.g., pulling a knife and threatening a teacher is the same as pulling a rosary as you leave the school.
It’s hard to say whether the erroneous “separation of church and state” influenced this principles decision but it is not unreasonable to assume it has played a part in removing reason from the principles authoritative tool box across the nation.