She wore a pentacle on her cheek, in eye pencil, for Beltaine (May 1, Wiccan holiday). Sky Holeman of Illinois has been a practicing Pagan for three years, and her parents are Pagan, too. She was suspended for the pentacle.
http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2007/05/02/news/top_news/docbc7884ea8431c2b8862572cf000590fa.txt
2007-05-07 07:25:02 · 18 answers · asked by GreenEyedLilo 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Nope. Normally, I'd say the kid should have worn a necklace or something instead of something on her face. But when they obviously accept kids with ashes on their heads for Ash Wednesday, they have to allow all religions the same right.
2007-05-07 07:33:12 · answer #1 · answered by glitterkittyy 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
She wasn't suspended for the pentacle, per se. If she'd just worn a necklace, she wouldn't have caught hell.
She drew a big symbol, on each cheek. That's fairly distracting, and frankly, is more the sort of thing I'd expect to see at a Homecoming celebration than a normal schoolday.
That said, the principle should've had her remove it - and if she was totally unwilling, give her a day's detention for being disruptive and send her home for the day. Maintaining order is certainly part of the principle's job, but suspension is overkill.
2007-05-08 10:06:40 · answer #2 · answered by ArcadianStormcrow 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I can see how that might be distracting. Methinks she should have told the school beforehand so they'd've had time to get used to the idea. Mind you, as someone who knows a fair number of pagans, I can't recall any one of them sporting something like that around Beltane. A Christian who insisted on wearing a Crown of Thorns for Easter would probably fall under the same policy.
2007-05-07 14:37:22 · answer #3 · answered by zahir13 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't look like she was suspended, but sent home. There is a difference trust me! I know people who were sent home for wearing shorts to school.
No, I personally would never advocate punishing a student for that type of expression. Unfortunately schools do things like that a lot, with any student who varies from the norm. Many schools like their students to be very uniform. It's mostly politics and fear.
I also would like to hear both sides of the story. Do they allow visible tatoos?
2007-05-07 14:37:44 · answer #4 · answered by peacetimewarror 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nope. Students are allowed to express their religious beliefs, and to impede them could be a violation of the seperation of church and state as well as a violation of her rights. Civil rights are not suspended the minute you enter school, you know.
2007-05-07 14:34:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Only if every kid wearing a cross, or a star of david, or a hajib, is suspended too.
So in other words, no.
She was suspended out of total ignorance.
2007-05-07 14:35:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, she shouldn't, and if she was she should sue.
Individual expressions of faith are constitutionally protected, whether it's a crucifix, a star of david or a pentagram.
2007-05-07 17:17:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If they wish to pursue it and they have the money it would make a good and probably winnable court case.
2007-05-07 15:04:23 · answer #8 · answered by Dean * 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes if it's inappropriate. One hopes they apply the same rules to other openly displayed symbols of faith though.
2007-05-07 14:32:55 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Not if Christians can wear crosses.
2007-05-07 14:34:13 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋