Oregon eighth-grader suspended from school for wearing patriotic shirt showing gun


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Alan Holmes, an eighth-grade student in Gresham, Ore., still remembers the day his older brother returned home after serving in Iraq with the Marines.

“I was proud of him,” Holmes told ABC affiliate KATU. “I remember the day he came home and I was just so happy. I was little but I still remember it, he made me happy.”

As he got older, Holmes’s pride turned into patriotism. He wanted to demonstrate that patriotism last week by wearing a T-shirt to school that included a design memorializing fallen soldiers and bearing the words “Standing for those who stood for us,” according to KATU. Instead, the image on his shirt — boots, a helmet and a gun — got him suspended, the station reported.

Officials at Dexter McCarty Middle School asked Holmes to change his shirt, according to Fox affiliate KPTV. When he refused, the station reported, he was given an ultimatum: Remove the shirt or face suspension.

Holmes has refused to back down, but his suspension has left him saddened.

“I was just upset,” he told KATU. “I was heartbroken. My brother, he means everything for me. Just being able to help and give back to the people who fought and died for us it just makes me feel good.”

School administrators called Holmes’s father and asked him to pick up his son from school.

“Yeah, I’m proud of him,” Charles Holmes, Alan’s father, told KPTV. “I would’ve done the same thing.”

Administrators declined to comment directly on the incident, telling KATU that confidentiality rules bar officials from discussing student issues. An official did tell the station, however, that an image of a gun is not appropriate in a school setting.

The school dress code bars students from wearing any clothes promoting alcohol, drugs, tobacco or violence.

Holmes told KATU that he understands why people in Oregon are particularly uncomfortable with gun imagery in an educational setting. But, he insists, the image is being misinterpreted by school officials.

“This isn’t relating the violence,” he said. “The barrel is pointing down. It’s total gun safety.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/10/11/oregon-8th-grader-suspended-from-school-for-wearing-patriotic-shirt-showing-gun/

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While, this is overreaching.. Rules are rules.. And by that.. Yes, this had a gun on it for patriotism and was proud if his brother.. But, the next kid wears a shirt with just a big AK 47 on it.. and send him home and didn't send the other one home..you have a giant PC mess on your hands.. 

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Liberals don't understand or respect what that shirt symbolizes. In combat to mourn a loss military personnel will take a fallen soldiers boots, rifle, helmut, and dog tags and make a memorial with those just as the shirt shows.

###### that school. I dare somebody to talk trash about the picture below, these people have more honor than you. This has nothing to do with gun control.

MEMORIAL%20PHOTO.0.jpg

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Another person who didn't read the article.

Read it just fine.  Specifically this part:

"Instead, the image on his shirt — boots, a helmet and a gun — got him suspended, the station reported."

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All this Political correctness garbage is waaaaay out of control. Kids getting suspended for eating  apop tart into the shape of a gun, now this, with all the stuff in between, the people are being turned into "obedient workers and slaves." this country used to stand for some balance of moral integrity. Instead, we are a laughing stock of the world.

house-facepalm.jpg

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Read it just fine.  Specifically this part:

"Instead, the image on his shirt — boots, a helmet and a gun — got him suspended, the station reported."

Read my above post. Obviously you don't understand the picture, thus you didn't read the article enough to understand it. Either that or you fall into the category of my above post with a picture.

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I dare somebody to talk trash about the picture below, these people have more honor than you.

Since when does someone who is in the military have more honor that anyone else?  Honor isnt a military only trait.   They are to be respected and appreciate for what they do, but I know many people who are not in the military with more honor or equal amounts.  Of course, I have known people with less honor in the military and/or other parts of life.

Anyway, better get used to things like this.  How things are going to happen more and more.

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Liberals don't understand or respect what that shirt symbolizes. In combat to mourn a loss military personnel will take a fallen soldiers boots, rifle, helmut, and dog tags and make a memorial with those just as the shirt shows.

###### that school. I dare somebody to talk trash about the picture below, these people have more honor than you. This has nothing to do with gun control.

 

Your arrogance is astounding, just as bad as the schools. I respect and understand exactly what that shirt meant, just as your picture. Way to go on a broad generalization of a group of people. Makes your argument and yourself sound oh so intelligent. (Y). You sound like a political mouth piece, mindless.

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Since when does someone who is in the military have more honor that anyone else?  Honor isnt a military only trait.   They are to be respected and appreciate for what they do, but I know many people who are not in the military with more honor or equal amounts.  Of course, I have known people with less honor in the military and/or other parts of life.

Anyway, better get used to things like this.  How things are going to happen more and more.

In general the population in the military has  a higher percent of honorable people than civilians in the United States. I know plenty of shameful people during my time in the Marine Corps, but I will stand by my original statement. Anybody that is offended that there is a gun in that picture, more than the fact that it represents somebody who lost their life in combat is an idiot and has no morals. Generally this is your typical anti-gun people, complaining always about even a picture of a gun as if it is the end of the world, always complain but do nothing for others.

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Your arrogance is astounding, just as bad as the schools. I respect and understand exactly what that shirt meant, just as your picture. Way to go on a broad generalization of a group of people. Makes your argument and yourself sound oh so intelligent. (Y). You sound like a political mouth piece, mindless.

Good job stooping down to my level! You get a cookie! You have said nothing to add to the argument, proving my point making yourself seem like a political left wing mindless drone.

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In general the population in the military has  a higher percent of honorable people than civilians in the United States. I know plenty of shameful people during my time in the Marine Corps, but I will stand by my original statement. Anybody that is offended that there is a gun in that picture, more than the fact that it represents somebody who lost their life in combat is an idiot and has no morals. Generally this is your typical anti-gun people, complaining always about even a picture of a gun as if it is the end of the world, always complain but do nothing for others.

Yea, sorry. Military does not hold the highest percentage of those who would be considered and honorable person.  And while I disagree with what happened, kinda dumb to wear a shirt with a gun on it after what happened a week or so ago in the same state.

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After recent events in Oregon, do people not understand common respect and decency?

First off, as a Liberal and a proud Veteran of the United States Army (1984-1987), I completely understand and respect what that stands for.  However, I am also compassionate enough to understand that there are some people who that image may offend and I would be respectful enough, especially after a mass shooting, to keep such imagery away for a few weeks out of respect.

Seriously people...what the hell happened to respect and compassion for others?

T

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Good job stooping down to my level! You get a cookie! You have said nothing to add to the argument, proving my point making yourself seem like a political left wing mindless drone.

Superiority complex alert. What else is to add. You say all liberals disrespect and don't understand anything about military or the people who serve. Way to go on completely disregarding my post and continue to throw nothing but nonsense around. You want to talk about brainwashing...mindless drones... look in the mirror. Reality check, there are dumb people out there in high power. Equating them to one side of the political spectrum and then making the broad generalization that all on that side have no respect is beyond stupid. Try harder next time with a rebuttal.

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In general the population in the military has  a higher percent of honorable people than civilians in the United States. I know plenty of shameful people during my time in the Marine Corps, but I will stand by my original statement. Anybody that is offended that there is a gun in that picture, more than the fact that it represents somebody who lost their life in combat is an idiot and has no morals. Generally this is your typical anti-gun people, complaining always about even a picture of a gun as if it is the end of the world, always complain but do nothing for others.

You're the one doing most of the complaining in this thread.  Time and again you use broad brush strokes to complain about others that don't fit into you're narrow narrative of life.  So get off of your high horse, you come across as some extremist fanatic sometimes, claiming others lack morals and are idiots.

By the way, thank you for your service in the Marines, for that you have my highest respect.  (Y)

 

The school overreacted, explain the school's policies/rules, give the kid a warning to not wear the shirt in the future or face suspension.  Be reasonable, not some zero effort to make the situation a educational experience, use this to show how people can work together, set a positive example for the kids dammit!

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The school overreacted, explain the school's policies/rules, give the kid a warning to not wear the shirt in the future or face suspension.  Be reasonable, not some zero effort to make the situation a educational experience, use this to show how people can work together, set a positive example for the kids dammit!

How things are going.  Schools are afraid of offending a few people so they do things like this.  Then they end up offending people anyway.  I read earlier that there will not be Halloween at some schools since they are afraid of offending others.  Becoming a society of intolerance.

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Guns and patriotism are a dangerous mix. If the school doesn't allow violent images—and guns are inherently violent—then it seems the child was wrong. By refusing to change t-shirt the child was defying the school's authority, which is grounds for suspension. Parents shouldn't be encouraging such behaviour.

The way American culture glamorises guns is disgraceful.

Liberals don't understand or respect what that shirt symbolizes. In combat to mourn a loss military personnel will take a fallen soldiers boots, rifle, helmut, and dog tags and make a memorial with those just as the shirt shows.

And you don't seem to understand or respect that war is violent and supporting it isn't appropriate in the classroom. Indoctrinating children to support American imperialism and the military-industrial complex is sick. The best way to commemorate fallen soldiers would be for the US to stop engaging in pointless conflicts in the Middle East.

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After recent events in Oregon, do people not understand common respect and decency?

Just wondering if you stop drinking every time someone is killed by a drunk driver.

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Read my above post. Obviously you don't understand the picture, thus you didn't read the article enough to understand it. Either that or you fall into the category of my above post with a picture.

I understand it perfectly.  People died serving their country, and rather than comment on how senseless war is, you display the weapons of war.  Yee haw!

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No, but I'd not turn up to a car meet wearing a picture of a keg.

Yah, because that'd be a disappointment to all! You better make sure you don't bring a picture but rather a pitcher with taht ket (as long as it's anything other than PBR though) :P. I'll bring a DD and some funnels.

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