School made deaf student change his name

[joeglow3]

A Nebraska school district asked a deaf preschooler to change his sign language name because they believe the hand motion he used looked like he was shooting a gun.

The family of 3-year-old Hunter Spanjer said that their deaf son’s sign gesture violates the Grand Island Public Schools weapons policy.

“He’s deaf, and his name sign, they say, is a violation of their weapons policy,” Brian Spanjer,






http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2012/08/28/family-school-made-deaf-child-change-sign-name-said-it-looked-like-gun/

[slackmaster]

1. It's just one kid. If making him change his name saves just ONE LIFE, wouldn't that be worth it?

He's young enough to get over it by the time he figures out what happened to him.

[Liberal_in_LA]

33. lol

[Curtland1015]

2. Wow. I'm all for teaching kids that violence is wrong, but can't THIS be an exception?

It's the kid's freakin' NAME.

[slackmaster]

6. If his parents named him Hunter, they must be Teabaggers or NRA members

Or at least Republicans.

[MADem]

3. That school district is full of context-free morons--real leaders of the "Is our children learning"

club, aren't they?

[bunnies]

4. Oh FFS.

This is absurd.

[Kalidurga]

5. Then don't let anyone have the name Hunter...

this is discrimination its very plainly discrimination. While I don't really appreciate the name Hunter, I wouldn't make anyone change their name unless it was policy for everyone. Any way this is the kind of ridiculous thing that gives zero tolerance a bad name.

[slackmaster]

7. Zero tolerance = Zero brains

It deserves a bad name because it's fundamentally ridiculous.

[obamanut2012]

15. What is wrong with the name Hunter???

It is a friend's family name, and her son's first name.

[Ohio Joe]

26. His name is Hunter Hunter?

Thats hardcore

[Kalidurga]

37. Nothing is wrong with the name Hunter.

Unless you are deaf. Get it Hunter's use guns and his name in sign language probably looks like a gun. But, if you are going to ban the name for deaf kids then do it for all of them. Probably can't say gun if you are deaf either.

[CreekDog]

29. you can't ban "names" that's almost as dumb as what that school district did

[Drahthaardogs]

8. I live in Nebraska now.

It is fucking full of hillbilly rednecks. People think Larry the Cable guy is a comedian, the truth is, he is your average Nebraskan.

[CanisCrocinus]

9. I live in Nebraska too

and you should do yourself a favor and get some new friends.

[Brickbat]

11. +

[Care Acutely]

32. I live in Kearney and 3/5 of our neighbors are Democrats.

My best friends are all flaming liberals.

You're right. It's really not that hard, even here.

[Drahthaardogs]

36. Why do you pretend that Nebraska is not one of the reddest states out there?

They voted for Dole with a higher percentage than Mississippi and Bush with a higher percentage than his home state of Texas. Sorry if it bothers you, but considering it is full of farmers taking subsidies, I have little respect for the politics of this state.

[central scrutinizer]

20. hey now!

this is the school district that I went to and from which I graduated high school. Lots of very decent people there.

[Pisces]

10. Change schools, parents have a choice.

[msanthrope]

12. I got a one-fingered gesture for the school district. nt

[Tikki]

13. That's kind of like asking an ASL user not to point.

Tikki

[Riftaxe]

14. but..but it's rude to point!

and your point is quite a good one

[4th law of robotics]

16. The first amendment doesn't cover sign language

the founders never could have imagined the rapid-fire communication techniques available to modern deaf kids. Sure they had crude fumbling and gestures back then but nothing like the modern high efficiency sign language used today that is often glorified in action movies (notice how many characters use signs to indicate when to attack so they don't give away their position) and even taught in many military academies for rapid non-verbal communication in assault situations.

Free speech is one thing. This kind of military style assault-signing is another thing entirely.

I'm just glad none of the other kids were hurt . . . this time.

The National Association for the Deaf (or NAD) has a lot to answer for in this latest school shooting mimicry.

[slackmaster]

17. <snort>

[Panasonic]

24. I personally know the President of NAD

As he is a old friend of mine - someone I met growing up and we have maintained close ties.

I will ask Shane to take a look at this thread.

[Ruby the Liberal]

31. Welcome back

[Panasonic]

38. A followup: NAD is aware of this situation AND is offering assistance

Here is the press release as given to me by Shane.

http://nad.org/news/2012/8/nad-condemns-schools-ban-name-sign-three-year-old-boy

[HopeHoops]

18. Unless his name was "Penis", I don't know of an ASL sign that looks like a gun.

[slackmaster]

19. He signs in SEE not ASL.

See SEE.

http://seecenter.org/

[Fla_Democrat]

21. Can we get some common sense finger control?

I mean, really.

[Panasonic]

22. I'm deaf, and I find it ridiculous

The sign "Hunter" is exactly that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=nBR7Y1-cLM8

Look at 0:05 second on the mark - as he titles the story "Moose Hunter"

That's the sign for hunter (after moose - where the man looks like he's a moose)

[nolabear]

23. Thank goodness his name's not Jack.

[Panasonic]

25. Or Jack Abramoff

Which I hear that his childhood name was "Abram Jackoff"

True story.

[Maven]

27. Weapons? A 3-year-old's fingers are weapons?

wtf?

[On the Road]

28. Maybe the Little Dude Was Lookin' Uncomfortably Like His Namesake

[CreekDog]

30. sounds like good grounds for a discrimination lawsuit based on physical disability

such discrimination is against federal law.

the key issue being that the name the school district said was problematic, was only problematic because it was for a deaf child.

slam dunk.

doubt the school district will try this again.

[Iris]

34. Hunter is a stupid name anyway

Sorry to anyone out there named "Hunter" but I've always hated that name.

[Omaha Steve]

35. I thought we weren't in Kansas anymore?

K&R!