HS Principal forces special needs student to remove Varisty jacket

[dwiz]

The student sewed a varsity letter onto his jacket in support of the team. The principal forced the student to remove the jacket because he hadn't earned the varsity letter and gave him a woman's sweater to wear instead.

Main office phone number is 316-973-4000 and they are accepting voicemails regarding this situation.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/03/principal-forces-d

 

[Relayer]

How does one purchase a varsity letter? Growing up we bought our schools athletic jacket and sewed the letter on after earning it. Letters weren't something you could walk into a store and buy.

 

[psu00]

Just ridiculous. It matches the story from yesterday of a grade school principle in tennessee ordering a kids mom to 'fix his haircut' which the principle labeled as a 'distraction'. The kid got a typical military haircut to support his step brother in the Army. So the principle made the mom shave the kid bald- because a bald 8 ear old is apparently less of a distraction than the kid with a military buzz cut. Even the school district threw the principal under the bus. I just don't understand how this varsity letter to a special needs student even occupied 2 minutes of the principal's thoughts.

This post was edited on 3/27 10:46 PM by psu00

 

[RabidLion]

Just nauseating. This poor kid will never forget this.

 

[psu00]

Exactly. As someone with a special needs relative I know this kid will remember it always. These kids are very aware they are not 'like everyone else' but they desperately try to be like the other kids. When it's pointed out to them they are not- they take it very hard and internalize it greatly (more than if you or I get rejected by others). I just have no patience for this principal.

This post was edited on 3/27 11:21 PM by psu00

 

[fairgambit]

Originally posted by psu00:
Exactly. As someone with a special needs relative I know this kid will remember it always- and having to wear a girls sweater on top of it. These kids are very aware they are not 'like everyone else' but they desperately try to be like the other kids. When it's pointed out to them they are not- they take it very hard and internalize it greatly (more than if you or I get rejected by others). I just have no patience for this principal.

As a point of clarification, I know the OP mentioned he had to put on a woman's sweater, but I've read a couple of articles about this and in both they said he had to put on a sweatshirt. I'm not suggesting that a sweatshirt would make the young man feel much better, but certainly having to put on a woman's sweater would make him feel much worse.

 

[psu00]

Fine- sweatshirt. I'll correct it. In any event that's minor to the main point.

 

[RabidLion]

I believe the video called it a girl's sweatshirt. Just imagine that poor kid getting his clothing taken away from him. Just disgusting.

 

[fairgambit]

Originally posted by RabidLion:
I believe the video called it a girl's sweatshirt. Just imagine that poor kid getting his clothing taken away from him. Just disgusting.

I certainly don't doubt the humiliation, and I did not watch the video, but I did read the article and another related one. Both said sweatshirt without mentioning it was female. I know this is not the heart of the controversy, but with all the inaccuracies surrounding Sandusky, I was just trying to be sure all the information provided was correct.

 

[demlion]

The guy is the worst sort of officious toad. How does a decision like this

last for even a day without cooler heads prevailing? How can it be possible be that this clowns boss has not already reamed him?

What an awesome opportunity to prove the real value of a varsity letter. What a great chance to let the kids themselves show what is important and what is not. Looks like the kids will have to be the ones to step up.

 

[LeatherHelmets]

How does this principal keep their job and how did they get it in the first place with demonstrating such poor decision making? Is this officially an offense that they should be fired over? Probably not, but I'd bet this is part of a pattern of behavior by the principal.

 

[Ten Thousan Marbles]

A story I saw yesterday said one or more parents resented the letter.....


....and complained about it.

The principal then bowed to their complaints.

So, although the principal clearly should be called out on it.....He has some lousy parents in his district.

 

[PSU Mike]

Put the mirror down, and give yourself some credit...

You do some good stuff too :-D

 

[Catspaw74]

As my wife says..."Common sense ain't so common anymore."

 

[ForesterGump]

I'm a parent of a special needs child. She's grown now, but I know quite well how things worked for her. Sometimes special needs aren't mental, but physical.

Yes, special needs kids always try to fit in. They've been thrown out of classes with their peers because they can't keep caught up. There they are put in with others that have the same disability. Schooling is based on the slowest kid in the class. Mainstreaming the kids is a farce as they fall further behind. These kids know that they have to earn things. You can't expect to get the reward without putting in the time. I wouldn't have condoned my daughter pulling such a stunt.

Where the principal failed was in finding an avenue for the kid to participate. Maybe he'll do that. Now would be a perfect time to allow this kid to participate in the team. Let him/her attend practice. Maybe be a team manager. After they have earned it, then give them a letter. It doesn't mean that they have to have much playing time. It would also be a learning experience for the "normal" people on the team. Also, the coaches and fans.

There's also Special Olympics. My daughter has participated for years. There is no age limit. I've seen some pretty amazing athletes at these events that have overcome some pretty huge odds. But, every one of them have earned it.

My daughter has been quite taken by firefighters. She can't become one because of her learning disability. The local firefighters have brought her into the fold and made her part of the team. She is an honorary member so she can legally ride on the trucks in the parade. She goes to meetings and hangs with them whenever she can. She earned it,

 

[BGJeff]

"Lousy" is far too gracious ...

,,, a word to describe these individuals.

 

[Ten Thousan Marbles]

Makes it easier to understand why folks think we had a FB culture.....

So many of them are actually living in a jock culture, they think it applies the same everywhere.

 

[LionJim]

Nice. You're a good man. *****

Originally posted by ForesterGump:
I'm a parent of a special needs child. She's grown now, but I know quite well how things worked for her. Sometimes special needs aren't mental, but physical.

Yes, special needs kids always try to fit in. They've been thrown out of classes with their peers because they can't keep caught up. There they are put in with others that have the same disability. Schooling is based on the slowest kid in the class. Mainstreaming the kids is a farce as they fall further behind. These kids know that they have to earn things. You can't expect to get the reward without putting in the time. I wouldn't have condoned my daughter pulling such a stunt.

Where the principal failed was in finding an avenue for the kid to participate. Maybe he'll do that. Now would be a perfect time to allow this kid to participate in the team. Let him/her attend practice. Maybe be a team manager. After they have earned it, then give them a letter. It doesn't mean that they have to have much playing time. It would also be a learning experience for the "normal" people on the team. Also, the coaches and fans.

There's also Special Olympics. My daughter has participated for years. There is no age limit. I've seen some pretty amazing athletes at these events that have overcome some pretty huge odds. But, every one of them have earned it.

My daughter has been quite taken by firefighters. She can't become one because of her learning disability. The local firefighters have brought her into the fold and made her part of the team. She is an honorary member so she can legally ride on the trucks in the parade. She goes to meetings and hangs with them whenever she can. She earned it,

 

[NittPicker]

Re: Makes it easier to understand why folks think we had a FB culture.....

Originally posted by Ten Thousan Marbles:
So many of them are actually living in a jock culture, they think it applies the same everywhere.

Yep. How dare someone wear a jacket with a letter they didn't "earn". It's egos gone wild. Only the important letter winners are worthy. Some low life non-jock should feel lucky to breathe the same air as a real letter winner.

 

[psute]

Being eaten alive on the internet..

.

FB page

 

[michnittlion]

Yep, I heard that on TV too (another parent complained) ....

this is where the principal just needs to say "look, it's a freaking letter on a jacket. A letter C (or whatever the letter is). We've both reached middle age in life, haven't you learned this stuff really shouldn't matter anymore to US???? It does mean something to the special needs kid, though, so just let it be. Let it be."

This post was edited on 3/28 1:33 PM by michnittlion

 

[Aoshiro]

Originally posted by ForesterGump:
I'm a parent of a special needs child. She's grown now, but I know quite well how things worked for her. Sometimes special needs aren't mental, but physical.

Yes, special needs kids always try to fit in. They've been thrown out of classes with their peers because they can't keep caught up. There they are put in with others that have the same disability. Schooling is based on the slowest kid in the class. Mainstreaming the kids is a farce as they fall further behind. These kids know that they have to earn things. You can't expect to get the reward without putting in the time. I wouldn't have condoned my daughter pulling such a stunt.

Where the principal failed was in finding an avenue for the kid to participate. Maybe he'll do that. Now would be a perfect time to allow this kid to participate in the team. Let him/her attend practice. Maybe be a team manager. After they have earned it, then give them a letter. It doesn't mean that they have to have much playing time. It would also be a learning experience for the "normal" people on the team. Also, the coaches and fans.

There's also Special Olympics. My daughter has participated for years. There is no age limit. I've seen some pretty amazing athletes at these events that have overcome some pretty huge odds. But, every one of them have earned it.

My daughter has been quite taken by firefighters. She can't become one because of her learning disability. The local firefighters have brought her into the fold and made her part of the team. She is an honorary member so she can legally ride on the trucks in the parade. She goes to meetings and hangs with them whenever she can. She earned it,

Your kid is your kid.

You don't know anything at all about the circumstances of this other kid.

 

[ForesterGump]

You're right. But, I don't think anyone else commenting knows the circumstances either. Just what they read in the newspaper or on the internet, then form an opinion. We all know that the lynch mob mentality is the correct one.

 

[dawgduice]

The sad thing, as a former educator, there are "so-called educators" such as this. What a sad excuse for a Human Being. The more I see, hear and read about our species the more I believe it's the insects turn !!!!