medieval yearbook photo trouble

[MrBern]

High School balks at student who poses for yearbook photo as Medieval reenactor.

http://www.eastbayri.com/story/310265397098437.php

"I tried to talk to Mr. Littlefield about it, to show him that it wasn't about weapons or school safety but about something i enjoy and that I have learned a lot from," Mr. Agin said. "And I pointed out that the the school mascot (Patriot) has a gun and a sword" — to no avail.

"To reflect his passion about re-enactment and his participation with the SCA, Patrick chose to sit for his senior picture in costume, specifically, chain mail and a sword."

 

[imoldfashioned]

Darn!

I was hoping for a picture!

 

[Jay]

"And I pointed out that the the school mascot (Patriot) has a gun and a sword" — to no avail.

I assume they're now going to change the mascot. They did the same thing at my highschool. They said the Indian with a tomahawk was "promoting violence."
What the hell is wrong with people?

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I only can guess at what they would think about a Waffen-SS reenactor...

 

[Jay]

They probably send you to some special hospital to be a guinea pig in some kind of "experimental" rehabilitation technique.

 

[Novella]

I assume they're now going to change the mascot. They did the same thing at my highschool. They said the Indian with a tomahawk was "promoting violence."
What the hell is wrong with people?

Same here. Crusaders were the mascot at my grade school. Right after I left they changed the mascot to "all stars" because crusaders were violent, racist, and religious(it's a public school). I never had a problem with the crusaders and was pretty glad they at least waited until I left to change it to something lame and vague like all stars.

 

[GOK]

How ironic that last night I watched the South Park episode about picking a new school mascot.

I can see both POVs here and whilst I do think that the boy has a point about the sword being a legitimate part of the ensemble, it does seem that he might be being deliberately awkward for the sake of it. Perhaps colleges/schools/universities should just make a ruling that students have to wear robes for the photos. Having worked at schools that have uniform and those that don't, those with have fewer dress-related issues than those that don't.

So speaks the non-conformist!

 

[MissHuff]

Speaking as a former yearbook volunteer and being from Rhode Island... at my high school, which was inner-city as opposed to the one from this article which is in a rather well off area, we found ways to get around the rules and had some pretty unconventional senior pictures. Knowing the area and students from that school district I completely understand how they blew this incident out of proportion. Do I agree with the decision to crop the photo? No. People are so afraid these days of sending the wrong image. I bet that if a student had taken a picture in army attire they wouldn't suggest they were promoting war and violence. (this is in no offense to the armed forces whom I have the utmost respect for. I have several friends in all branches of the armed forces support them for what they do.) This just proves that all it takes is one person to make a little comment about something for it to turn into a crusade against whatever they feel is bad.

 

[Lady Day]

I dont get the big huff. I think its rad. To see a kid who screams to be different with a passion of his. That is cool. As to the kids who all dress and look the same. That is what they should be worried about.

LD

 

[Haversack]

I imagine that the art teachers at that high school could have a field day with Magritte's painting entitled "La trahison des images", (The Treachery of Images) - This is Magritte's painting of a pipe with the words "Ceci n'est pas une pipe" (This is not a pipe), written underneath. The school administration's policy clearly believes that the image is the object.

Haversack.

 

[Story]

I was hoping for a picture!

As ye ask, so shall it be.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16175420/

http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/ap/bx20212122116.widec.jpg

Looks alot less-Farby than the average SCAthian.

 

[Elaina]

It's all a bunch of rubbish.

They allow DAR members to appear in yearbooks in their colonial attire, (in the South) they allow the Southern Debutante stuff that looks like they walked out of GWTW in it, so why discriminate against the SCA? Kid's got a point, but my scool got around all that by making our pictures taken for the yearbook being a green silky drape thing with gren feathers or a half suit and tie for the boys. Solved all that stuff right there.

 

[griffer]

I only can guess at what they would think about a Waffen-SS reenactor...

They'd probably try to recruit you...


Aw...the old 'establishment is a bunch of fascist pigs' joke....

 

[griffer]

He should have posed with the phaser instead.

 

[Big Man]

I graduated high school in 1974. Seniors were allowed (encouraged) to submit their own pictures. There were pictures of guys and gals with cars, motorcycles, camping, rock climbing, hunting, horseback riding, and with music/band themes. My yearbook picture was taken at our hunting cabin, with me holding an AR-15. In the background was a collection of other weapons.

Today, if I tried to have a senior picture like that, I'd probably end up in counseling, on the FBI's "most wanted" list, my parents would be jailed, and who knows what else. But, in 1974 it was just a "cool picture, man."

My, my, my - times surely have changed.

 

[carebear]

This is indicative of a larger worldview being pushed in schools.

Weapon (inanimate thing) = violence (action)

-and-

Violence (action) = evil (moral viewpoint)

Zero tolerance is a cop-out by school boards and school administrations to avoid the accusations of favoritism or any other kind of -ism which can result when you judge some behaviors as "good" (or at least justified) and some as "bad".

When little Johnny's mom sues the school district because Johnny got suspended for fighting and Timmy didn't, even though Johnny started the fight and Timmy was just defending himself, a school district has two choices. They can be adult and point out Johnny was in fact being bad and was the guilty party -or- they can cravenly evade it by punishing the guilty and innocent alike.

It removes responsibility (and reason) from the decision-making process. Which of course leads to a loss of respect by thinking people (including students).

 

[Big Man]

... It removes responsibility (and reason) from the decision-making process. Which of course leads to a loss of respect by thinking people (including students). ...

Agreed !

 

[Girl Friday]

Sailor said it best...

"This is a snakeskin jacket! And for me it's a symbol of my individuality, and my belief... in personal freedom."

 

[MrBern]

but...

forget the sword...are those real eyebrows?

 

[GOK]

forget the sword...are those real eyebrows?

Please, please don't let him have elf-ears under that coif! lol