16-12-2009, 04:56 AM
Well, I don't know what to say anymore. We live in an upside down world.
I'll leave it to more punditry-qualified folk than I to determine if this story belongs it here or how it relates.
Mass. school denies suspending student for drawing
By ERIC TUCKER (AP) – 1 hour ago
TAUNTON, Mass. — A Massachusetts school district is rebutting a father's claims that his son was suspended from school after drawing a stick figure of Jesus on a cross.
The Taunton School District said in a written statement Tuesday night that the second-grade student was never suspended over the drawing. It also said a drawing circulated to reporters by the boy's father, Chester Johnson, is not the same one that was discovered by the teacher.
The district says the boy's teacher never assigned students to draw something that reminded them of the holiday season, as Johnson told reporters Tuesday.
Johnson earlier said the boy made the drawing Dec. 2 after witnessing a holiday lights display. He said his son was suspended and ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation over concern about the drawing.
Johnson did not return a phone message from The Associated Press on Tuesday night.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
TAUNTON, Mass. (AP) — An 8-year-old boy was sent home from school and ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation after he was asked to make a Christmas drawing and sketched what appeared to be a stick figure of Jesus on a cross, the child's father said Tuesday.
Chester Johnson said his son made the drawing on Dec. 2 after his second-grade teacher asked children to sketch something that reminded them of the holiday. The assignment came just days after the family had visited the holiday lights display at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro, where Johnson said his son seemed taken with the religious statues he saw there.
"When he seen the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross, that's what he drew," Johnson said. "He liked that. That drew his eye."
Johnson, who works at the school as a janitor on a per diem basis, said administrators were concerned the boy drew Xs for Jesus' eyes, and particularly worried when his son said he'd drawn himself on the cross after officials pressed him about who he'd drawn.
Johnson said his son might have been worried about getting in trouble if he said he drew Jesus. "If he said it was him, it was more like a cartoon," Johnson said.
Superintendent Julie Hackett said she could not discuss an individual student and did not address the drawing specifically or the teacher's reaction to it, but did say the school has safety protocols in place that were followed.
Hackett did not return multiple calls from The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Johnson said his son gets specialized reading and speech instruction. He showed a reporter an evaluation that said the boy was not a threat to himself or others. The boy has been back in school since Dec. 7.
Johnson said he assured his son that he didn't do anything wrong, but he said his boy was traumatized by the incident and demanding an apology from school officials. Johnson said he's also looking to have his son transferred to another school.
"You can't walk back in an establishment that didn't have confidence in you ... and continue to do business with them," he said. "He's been excluded from all the other kids, man."
In June 2008, a Taunton fifth-grade student was suspended for a day for a stick figure drawing that appeared to depict him shooting his teacher and a classmate.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/arti...wD9CK40A84
Taunton Public Schools Response To Recent Allegations
POSTED: 8:14 pm EST December 15, 2009
The following is a statement from Taunton Public Schools in regard to a second-grade student's drawing at the center of controversy.
It has been reported in the media that a student was suspended over drawing a rendering of Jesus Christ on the cross. This report is totally inaccurate, and the student was never suspended. This incident occurred nearly two weeks ago, it was handled appropriately, and the school staff and family had been working together in a cooperative and positive manner.
The drawing published in various media outlets is not the same drawing that was discovered by the teacher. It has not been established whether the drawing was actually completed in school. Contrary to what has been reported, there was no request or assignment by the teacher for students to sketch something that reminded them of Christmas or any religious holiday.
The inaccuracies in the original media story have resulted in a great deal of criticism and scrutiny of the system that is unwarranted.
In this case, as in any other case involving the wellbeing of a student, the administration acted in accordance with the school department’s well-established protocol. This protocol is centered upon the student’s care, wellbeing and educational success. The protocol includes a review of the student’s records, discussions with staff, central administration, school psychologists and other community resources. Decisions were made only after this protocol had been completed, including a consultation with a veteran staff member with a background in clinical psychology and a Ph.D.
It is unfortunate that the actions of our district staff have been classified as “religious” in nature when, in fact, they were based solely on the wellbeing of the student. At this time of year, Christmas is one of many religious and secular holidays. Taunton, known as The Christmas City, takes pride as a community in celebrating this Christian holiday together with Hanukah, Kwanzaa, and many others. In the school district, it is our goal to provide the opportunity for all students to be well-rounded, and it is our responsibility to help them attain their social, emotional and academic goals regardless of their religious affiliation.
Administrators in the Taunton Public Schools have an open-door policy and a willingness to discuss and examine any parental concerns and/or actions taken by the teachers, administrators, and other staff. It is difficult for us to address issues when they originate in a media news story, and it is unfortunate that this is the path that was taken in this case. As with any issue involving a child, regardless of a parent’s choice to discuss it in the media, it is the school district’s responsibility to act first in the best interests of the student and family, which we will continue to do in this matter. We will not now, nor will we ever, compromise our obligation in this regard.
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/219...etail.html
I'll leave it to more punditry-qualified folk than I to determine if this story belongs it here or how it relates.
Mass. school denies suspending student for drawing
By ERIC TUCKER (AP) – 1 hour ago
TAUNTON, Mass. — A Massachusetts school district is rebutting a father's claims that his son was suspended from school after drawing a stick figure of Jesus on a cross.
The Taunton School District said in a written statement Tuesday night that the second-grade student was never suspended over the drawing. It also said a drawing circulated to reporters by the boy's father, Chester Johnson, is not the same one that was discovered by the teacher.
The district says the boy's teacher never assigned students to draw something that reminded them of the holiday season, as Johnson told reporters Tuesday.
Johnson earlier said the boy made the drawing Dec. 2 after witnessing a holiday lights display. He said his son was suspended and ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation over concern about the drawing.
Johnson did not return a phone message from The Associated Press on Tuesday night.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
TAUNTON, Mass. (AP) — An 8-year-old boy was sent home from school and ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation after he was asked to make a Christmas drawing and sketched what appeared to be a stick figure of Jesus on a cross, the child's father said Tuesday.
Chester Johnson said his son made the drawing on Dec. 2 after his second-grade teacher asked children to sketch something that reminded them of the holiday. The assignment came just days after the family had visited the holiday lights display at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro, where Johnson said his son seemed taken with the religious statues he saw there.
"When he seen the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross, that's what he drew," Johnson said. "He liked that. That drew his eye."
Johnson, who works at the school as a janitor on a per diem basis, said administrators were concerned the boy drew Xs for Jesus' eyes, and particularly worried when his son said he'd drawn himself on the cross after officials pressed him about who he'd drawn.
Johnson said his son might have been worried about getting in trouble if he said he drew Jesus. "If he said it was him, it was more like a cartoon," Johnson said.
Superintendent Julie Hackett said she could not discuss an individual student and did not address the drawing specifically or the teacher's reaction to it, but did say the school has safety protocols in place that were followed.
Hackett did not return multiple calls from The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Johnson said his son gets specialized reading and speech instruction. He showed a reporter an evaluation that said the boy was not a threat to himself or others. The boy has been back in school since Dec. 7.
Johnson said he assured his son that he didn't do anything wrong, but he said his boy was traumatized by the incident and demanding an apology from school officials. Johnson said he's also looking to have his son transferred to another school.
"You can't walk back in an establishment that didn't have confidence in you ... and continue to do business with them," he said. "He's been excluded from all the other kids, man."
In June 2008, a Taunton fifth-grade student was suspended for a day for a stick figure drawing that appeared to depict him shooting his teacher and a classmate.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/arti...wD9CK40A84
Taunton Public Schools Response To Recent Allegations
POSTED: 8:14 pm EST December 15, 2009
The following is a statement from Taunton Public Schools in regard to a second-grade student's drawing at the center of controversy.
It has been reported in the media that a student was suspended over drawing a rendering of Jesus Christ on the cross. This report is totally inaccurate, and the student was never suspended. This incident occurred nearly two weeks ago, it was handled appropriately, and the school staff and family had been working together in a cooperative and positive manner.
The drawing published in various media outlets is not the same drawing that was discovered by the teacher. It has not been established whether the drawing was actually completed in school. Contrary to what has been reported, there was no request or assignment by the teacher for students to sketch something that reminded them of Christmas or any religious holiday.
The inaccuracies in the original media story have resulted in a great deal of criticism and scrutiny of the system that is unwarranted.
In this case, as in any other case involving the wellbeing of a student, the administration acted in accordance with the school department’s well-established protocol. This protocol is centered upon the student’s care, wellbeing and educational success. The protocol includes a review of the student’s records, discussions with staff, central administration, school psychologists and other community resources. Decisions were made only after this protocol had been completed, including a consultation with a veteran staff member with a background in clinical psychology and a Ph.D.
It is unfortunate that the actions of our district staff have been classified as “religious” in nature when, in fact, they were based solely on the wellbeing of the student. At this time of year, Christmas is one of many religious and secular holidays. Taunton, known as The Christmas City, takes pride as a community in celebrating this Christian holiday together with Hanukah, Kwanzaa, and many others. In the school district, it is our goal to provide the opportunity for all students to be well-rounded, and it is our responsibility to help them attain their social, emotional and academic goals regardless of their religious affiliation.
Administrators in the Taunton Public Schools have an open-door policy and a willingness to discuss and examine any parental concerns and/or actions taken by the teachers, administrators, and other staff. It is difficult for us to address issues when they originate in a media news story, and it is unfortunate that this is the path that was taken in this case. As with any issue involving a child, regardless of a parent’s choice to discuss it in the media, it is the school district’s responsibility to act first in the best interests of the student and family, which we will continue to do in this matter. We will not now, nor will we ever, compromise our obligation in this regard.
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/219...etail.html
"Where is the intersection between the world's deep hunger and your deep gladness?"