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December 16, 2009
2nd Grader Boy Gets Psych Evalution For Drawing Jesus
School goes ballistic when 2nd-grader draws Jesus
Boy, 8, gets psych evaluation after sketch of Christ on cross called 'violent'
An 8-year-old boy has been suspended from school and forced to undergo a psychological evaluation after he drew a picture of Jesus Christ on the cross.
A teacher at Lowell Maxham Elementary School in Taunton, Mass., said the second-grade student created a violent drawing, the Taunton Daily Gazette reported.
The boy's picture portrayed a crucified Jesus with Xs over his eyes to indicate that he had died on the cross.
The child's father, outraged at the school's action, asked to remain anonymous to protect his son. He said his boy drew the picture after returning from a family trip to see the Christmas display at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette, a Christian retreat.
When the teacher asked students to draw something that reminded them of Christmas on Dec. 2, the boy recalled his trip and created a portrait of Christ on the cross.
"As far as I'm concerned, they're violating his religion," he told the newspaper.
Associated Advocacy Center educational consultant Toni Saunders said, "I think what happened is that because he put Xs in the eyes of Jesus, the teacher was alarmed and they told the parents they thought it was violent."
Saunders said the boy has special needs, and the school reacted inappropriately.
"They made him leave school, and they recommended that a psychiatrist do an evaluation," she said.
But the boy's father told the newspaper the school required an evaluation – at the parents' expense – before the student would be allowed to return.
"When she told me he needed to be psychologically evaluated, I thought she was playing," he said.
Superintendent Julie Hackett refused to discuss the drawing when reporters contacted her, calling it a "confidential matter regarding a student.
"Generally speaking, we have safety protocols in place," Hackett told the Gazette. "If a situation warrants it, we ask for outside safety evaluations if we have particular concerns about a child's safety. We followed all the protocols in our system."
The father said his son, who receives special reading and speech instruction, has never shown a propensity toward violence.
"He's never been suspended," he said. "He's 8 years old. They overreacted."
The boy returned to school on Dec. 7, but he said his son has been traumatized and will be transferred to another school in the district.
Bloggers have overwhelmingly reacted to the school's actions by demanding that the teacher be fired. They posted the following responses:
The Taunton School District needs to be examined. How could a teacher's concern get this far? Let's not forget that several administrators had to agree with the teacher's reaction in order to have the child sent home and request exam. What do they have to say for themselves?
This was not a mistake. It is an intentional anti-Christ slap in the face at Christmas. If something like this was done to a child of any other minority religion the teacher would be fired.
I hope the parents consider transferring the child to a parochial school where his religious understanding will be more sensitively recognized. Shame on the school administrators.
I would like to start a petition to suspend this teacher immediately pending a full investigation into whether or not she should be terminated. Some parents try very hard to instill the values of religion in their children, and for this teacher to tell this student he did something wrong is disgusting. If my kids were in her class, I would pull them out and demand a new teacher or a change of schools.
I'm a liberal, non-religious individual and even I think this is totally ridiculous! Since Christmas is a religious holiday, the teachers should have expected some religious imagery from little kids!
How does one make the crucifixion non-violent?
Teacher needs a lesson in church. Jesus Christ's death was violent.
The teacher is the one with the issues; this qualifies as abuse.
I believe that this teacher needs to be removed from teaching put in a mental institution. This teacher is mentally disturbed and a psycho and danger to society.
This teacher needs to be fired! She traumatized an 8-year-old, Fire her! No discussion necessary!
Concerned individuals may e-mail Maxham Elementary School or call Principal Rebecca Couet at:
(508)821-1265,
or fax to (508) 821-1274.
The Taunton Public Schools district office may be reached by calling (508) 821-1100
or e-mailing Superintendent Julie Hackett
Look at this in comparison..............
Second Graders Sing About Allah?
A battle over religion is brewing in central Indiana after a public school wanted second graders to sing a song declaring, “Allah is God.” The phrase was removed just before the performance after a national conservative group launched a protest.
The principal of Lantern Road Elementary School in Fishers, IN, said they were trying to teach inclusiveness through their holiday production. It included references to Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Las Posadas and Kwanzaa. However, no other deity, other than Allah, was referenced in the show.
“It went off…without a hitch,” Danielle Thompson told the Indianapolis Star. “Several families thought it was a nice program.”
But others did not – especially David Hogan. His daughter came home with a copy of the lyrics just days before the production. Hogan, a Christian, told the American Family Association, a conservative advocacy group, that he was deeply concerned to learn that his daughter had been singing, “Allah is God.”
Here’s what the children were assigned to sing:
“Allah is God, we recall at dawn, Praying ‘til night during Ramadan At this joyful time we pray happiness for you, Allah be with you all your life through.”
But when it came time to perform the “Christian” part of Christmas, children were assigned to say:
“I didn’t know there was a little boy at the manger. What child is this? I’m not sure if there was a little boy or not. Then why did you paint one on your nativity window? I just thought if there was a little boy, I’d like to know exactly what he (sic) say.
Micah Clark, executive director of the Indiana AFA, launched an Internet protest once he heard about the allegations.
“What surprised me here is that we’ve had a secular scrubbing of Christmas for so long and the school apparently didn’t see the problem with kids singing to Allah,” he told FOX News Radio. “You won’t even mention Jesus and you’re going to force my child to sing about Allah?
Wild Thing's comment.............
Sheesh!
I guess if the boy sang praises to Allah, the teacher would have given him a gold star for being so enlightened.
It shocks me how people do not read up about Islam and it's agenda for the entire world. It does not even matter to them the attacks, killings etc. that Islam the death cult delivers wants to take the lives of these teachers as well.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
.
....Thank you Darth for sending this to me.
Darth
U.S. Airforce
C-5 loadmaster
84-97
Posted by Wild Thing at December 16, 2009 02:49 AM
Comments
This is going too far over the line. I'm really upset. My daughter's schools music department only lets them play instruments during Christmas season now. No Christmas songs. Some parent whined about it last year, so the songs are gone. And she loves them. You should have seen her sunday school group doing Go Tell it on the Mountain. Perfect and Wonderful!
If Christian and Jewish kids can't have their songs, then Muslim kids shouldn't have theirs. Fair is fair. No more allowing them to wear the Muslim garb, no more special Muslim meals at lunch, no more time out of class to pray. No more coddling. Stop the insanity before we all go nuts and do something we may regret later.
Posted by: Lynn at December 16, 2009 08:11 AM
Unfortunately, the father is playing the race card in this case.
Johnson said the teacher became upset when his son said he drew himself on the cross. Johnson, who is black, told WBZ he suspects racism is involved. He said he thinks the school overreacted and wants an apology.
http://apnews.myway.com//article/20091215/D9CJV74O1.html
What else can you expect from Massachusetts schools and people.
Posted by: BobF at December 16, 2009 09:49 AM
Hey, the school is just trying to show its diversity. They hate all Christians, Black, White, Yellow, Brown whatever. The message is clear if you are a Christian you are to be persecuted.
Posted by: Mark at December 16, 2009 10:59 AM
Mark, you've hit the nail on the head.
Posted by: BobF at December 16, 2009 11:12 AM
At least the father is a Black Christian and not a Black muslim.
I think the school drastically overreacted. The crucifix is a Christian emblem, especially among Catholics. The boy saw it at the shrine, the dad explained it's meaning and the boy rightly considered it a sign of the Christian Christmas season.
As to the Indiana school singing praise to allah, Hell No. Regardless of what obama says, America is a Christian country. The few people who are not Christian are either secular or Jewish and they also most likely would be upset to hear praises to America's enemy allah.
I think there are a lot of educators that could usesome psychoevaluations.
Posted by: TomR at December 16, 2009 12:41 PM
"IN GOD WE TRUST!" and "JESUS is the reason for this yuletide holy season!"
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at December 16, 2009 07:56 PM
Great input thank you all so much.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 17, 2009 12:33 AM
Anybody who believes in Christ is nuts, that's the message. But Jihadists are okay.
Posted by: Anonymous at December 17, 2009 07:30 PM
