Massachusetts 2nd-Grader Suspended for Drawing of Jesus

Things are getting a bit weird. Perhaps the teacher needs to have a psychological evaluation?

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/283903

An eight-year-old
boy at the Maxham Elementary School in Taunton, Mass., was suspended
after he drew a stick-figure picture of Jesus on the Cross in response
to a class assignment.


According to the Taunton Daily Gazette,
when school officials called the boy’s father about the incident, they
characterized the drawing as “violent” and told him the boy would have
to undergo a psychiatric evaluation before being allowed to return.
The teacher had asked the
class to draw something that reminded them of Christmas. The boy’s
representation of the crucifix apparently alarmed her because there
were x’s for eyes, and the boy had written his name above the picture.
The boy had no previous history of violence or other trouble at the
school.


School administrators have declined to discuss the matter, citing confidentiality concerns.
His father, who asked not to
be identified, told the Taunton paper that a few days earlier, the
family had visited the Christmas display at the National Shrine of Our
Lady of La Salette in nearby Attleboro.
“As far as I’m concerned,
they’re violating his religion,” the father said. He described his son
as “traumatized” by the suspension.
The incident occurred on Dec.
2, and the parents brought the boy for the required evaluation. He was
immediately cleared to return to the school, but at the parents’
request he has been transferred to another school in the district.

Gee - I got in trouble in 8th grade for drawing my own version of the AC/DC Highway To Hell cover....... Of course, I did go to Catholic school at the time....

But, that is CRAZY - half of these suspensions have more to do with a teacher or principal's perception that anything really wrong.

People like the teacher have no common sense anymore.

I dunno if he should be suspended or anything, but let's be honest, a crucifixion is rather hefty material for an eight year old to draw.

I think it depends on how the picture was drawn.

If it depicted crucifixion with lots of blood and gore then, yeah, I agree counselling is probably in order.

But if it was simply a stick figure nailed to a cross, I think that speaks more to the child's religious training and knowing what the true reason of Christmas really is.

tohostudios wrote:

I think it depends on how the picture was drawn.

If it depicted crucifixion with lots of blood and gore then, yeah, I agree counselling is probably in order.

But if it was simply a stick figure nailed to a cross, I think that speaks more to the child's religious training and knowing what the true reason of Christmas really is.

Agreed!

This kind of topic kinda reminds of me CMR, where some people always go on about how Christians and Christianity are always being "prosecuted" and all that... Most of the time there's more to a story.

Some kid got suspended for THAT? In kindergarten I was doodling roadkilled turkeys, and I showed you guys some of the weird sh*t I draw in school nowadays. Where's my suspension?

I'm not even gonna get into some of the gory/perverse stuff I used to draw in high school. Let's just suffice to say that my masterwork was an ongoing comic strip entitled "Killer Mutant Chainsaw Bunnies From Hell."

Fat Freddy wrote:

I'm not even gonna get into some of the gory/perverse stuff I used to draw in high school. Let's just suffice to say that my masterwork was an ongoing comic strip entitled "Killer Mutant Chainsaw Bunnies From Hell."

Post it somewhere. That sounds like something I could really get into.

Yeah but this kid wasn't in high school. He's 8. I think kids that age draw more "honestly" without regard to trying to impress/shock their peers.

Schbopo wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

I'm not even gonna get into some of the gory/perverse stuff I used to draw in high school. Let's just suffice to say that my masterwork was an ongoing comic strip entitled "Killer Mutant Chainsaw Bunnies From Hell."

Post it somewhere. That sounds like something I could really get into.

I'm not sure if any of the "KMCBFH" strips have survived my various moves over the years. If I ever dig one up I'll post it.

I wonder about the teacher - what did she think the look on Christ's face would be after being nailed to the Cross?

exact33 wrote:

I wonder about the teacher - what did she think the look on Christ's face would be after being nailed to the Cross?

That's why I said perhaps the teacher needs to have a psychological evaluation instead of the 2nd grader. Poor kid.

i remember in the 5th grade being suspended for a crude drawing i did of jesus sitting on the toilet. the principle told my father that "religious" materials were not tolerated.

mc666 wrote:

i remember in the 5th grade being suspended for a crude drawing i did of jesus sitting on the toilet. the principle told my father that "religious" materials were not tolerated.

You would think as an elementary student, your teacher might want to spend some time to get to know why you drew something versus getting you suspended because the drawing was offensive to them. Again, I think it goes to the issue of their own insecurity and/or self-righteousness.

tohostudios wrote:

I think it depends on how the picture was drawn.

Here you go: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1219085

sheets wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

I think it depends on how the picture was drawn.

Here you go: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1219085

Thanks sheets for the link. Good for the mayor to make the superintendent apologize. How stupid can you be to make this 8 year old kid go through this for that drawing?

Thanks for that link.

Now that I've seen the drawing in question, I definitely think the superintendant went way over the line.

GrandNational wrote:

sheets wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

I think it depends on how the picture was drawn.

Here you go: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1219085

Thanks sheets for the link. Good for the mayor to make the superintendent apologize. How stupid can you be to make this 8 year old kid go through this for that drawing?

apparently pretty stupid. People always single out Christians for being hypocritical but give a pass to those who teach tolerance but dont practice it.

Hmmm... I agree that isn't much of a graphic picture. Though I definitely agree with keeping church/religion and public education separate, it seems a lot of Americans are going overkill (I'll just assume he was suspended because he drew a picture of Jesus... and a pretty non-graphic one at that). When I was in elementary school (which was a public school), we learned about every major religion out there, plus we even went to a church once with class. Funny eh, how one of the most godless and secular countries out there allows that.

Dave the Boss wrote:

Hmmm... I agree that isn't much of a graphic picture. Though I definitely agree with keeping church/religion and public education separate, it seems a lot of Americans are going overkill (I'll just assume he was suspended because he drew a picture of Jesus... and a pretty non-graphic one at that). When I was in elementary school (which was a public school), we learned about every major religion out there, plus we even went to a church once with class. Funny eh, how one of the most godless and secular countries out there allows that.

I dont think it was because he drew a picture of Jesus - it was the manner in which he displayed the person of Christ. I am giving the teacher the benefit of the doubt that she thought he was contemplating violence or suicide because of his name above the Cross but she should have asked the parents first before instituting lockdown...

So they suspend an 8 year old because he may be suicidal? Apparently, getting kicked out of school will help.

TheNazgul wrote:

So they suspend an 8 year old because he may be suicidal? Apparently, getting kicked out of school will help.

of course!

tohostudios wrote:

....knowing what the true reason of Christmas really is.

Winter Solstice!!!

detuned wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

....knowing what the true reason of Christmas really is.

Winter Solstice!!!

Back off you godless hippy!!!!