Jesus costume gets Highland Park senior thrown out of school

[n2doc]

A north suburban high school student was pulled from classes on Halloween after dressing like Jesus.

According to Angenetta Frison, mother of Highland Park High senior Marshon Sanders, some teachers found his costume offensive. Her son was readmitted to school after changing out of the costume, she said.

Sanders' costume included a long, white robe, red sash, head scarf and a cross necklace.

"I wanted to be Jesus because I just got baptized and so I felt like, why not?" Marshon says of his costume choice. "He's the most influential person in my life."

He says 15 minutes into his first class he was called to the dean's office.

"She tells me that, um, my costume was offensive and I was promoting religion, which I wasn't at all," he explains.

Shortly before school let out for the day, the high school released a statement, stating that: "We initially were concerned that the costume could be offensive to religious sensibilities. Upon further review, we realized the student did not intend to be offensive."

Sanders was told he could put the costume back on.

Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/23843004/jesus-costume-gets-highland-park-senior-thrown-out-of-school

Behind the usual RW crap this is an interesting question, especially with the racial overtones.

[exboyfil]

1. Students can promote religion

If the administration said that then they were wrong. On dress up day how offensive can you be and still be able to attend school (I can think of lots of costumes that would be offensive to someone)?

[gollygee]

4. Exactly what I was going to post

The Constitution says that the school (as a part of the government) can't promote a religion, but a student certainly can.

I think it's reasonable to have some standard as far as not allowing an offensive costume, and I can imagine ways someone could make a costume of Jesus offensive, but I don't think simply dressing up as Jesus is offensive.

[B Calm]

2. Is this like the war on Christmas,

where a right winger is offended and liberals are to blame?

[demwing]

3. No. It's almost the opposite of that.

[B Calm]

14. I guess you see something that I don't.

[demwing]

18. It's like a war *for* Christianity

where a religious student uses Halloween to promote Jesus and the secular board was unhappy about it.

Isn't that just the opposite?

[B Calm]

19. Yes completely different. Not sure, but

you could be right. We'll leave it that.

[Nine]

5. I'm a little tired of every little school incident becoming a national discussion.

The school made a judgment call. Was it the correct one? Probably not since they reversed themselves later in the day. But I think it was reasonable.

I really feel like a lot of the time these parents taking these things public are just looking for attention or trying to promote an agenda. Not necessarily in this case but in a lot of cases. I think sometimes there is a deliberate attempt to skate very close to the line in order to bait school officials and then the parents can cry, "Help, my child is being oppressed! The school hates the NRA, the military, my religion, etc!" Schools have a million and one things to deal with throughout the day. Sometimes they get things wrong. Cut them a little slack unless it's a pattern.

[RKP5637]

7. Agree! Also, things that were once just passing day activities get blown totally out

of proportion ... and often pushed by the media for entertainment value and hence $$$$$ for the media IMO.

[redgreenandblue]

6. The way I read this is that the school thought the student was mocking Jesus.

At least this is what I get from "could be offensive to religious sensibilities"? Who would be offended by this costume other than fundies?

Not buying the "poor persecuted Christians" angle here.

[B Calm]

11. Exactly what I thought too!

[Ichingcarpenter]

8. ' a cross necklace. ' Bill Hicks

“A lot of Christians wear crosses around their necks. You think when Jesus comes back he ever wants to see a fucking cross? It's like going up to Jackie Onassis wearing a rifle pendant.”

[Shadowflash]

9. No doubt.

Good thing he wasn't drawn and quartered or burned at the stake. Wearing those pendants would be kinda awkward.

[backscatter712]

13. If Jesus was put to death 20 years ago, would we be wearing little electric chairs?

[FSogol]

10. He should wear his Mohammed costume next year.

[backscatter712]

12. Maybe I should dress up as Buddy Jesus next year...

[Javaman]

15. I wonder what would have happened if he dressed up as the devil? nt

[Blue_In_AK]

22. My thought exactly.

[arely staircase]

16. wow. we had a third grader dressed like Jesus at school yesterday

Nobody even thought about saying anything to him. Some of the more staunch fundie teachers were kind of offended but bit their tounges.

[MindPilot]

17. Isn't there at least one of these every year?

It's a RW standard.

[alp227]

20. puts the conservative Christians in a bind:

is this costume sacrilege or promoting the faith?

[Blue_In_AK]

21. It's ok to dress like the devil, though

Double standard.

[KY5]

23. And I once got suspended a week for creating a parody of our official school site.

But it didn't become a major news story.

In hindsight, it should have.