And by "free expression" he means "get my ass kicked by jocks while the teachers look the other way"

[theweaselking]

16-year-old boy suspended from school in California for wearing makeup.

James Herndon, 16, said the five-day suspension imposed Monday by administrators at San Bernardino's Pacific High School was unfair because females are allowed to wear cosmetics on campus.

Herndon says his black lipstick and red eye makeup express the Wiccan religious beliefs he shares with his mother, a priestess in the neo-pagan faith. He contends the suspension violates his constitutional right to free expression.

Comments

[rimrunner.livejournal.com]

It's stupid that they kicked him out, but there is nothing anywhere in Wicca which specifies that you must make yourself up like the Crow to appear in public.

He can challenge school dress regulations all he wants, but I'm annoyed that he played the religion card.

[pope-guilty.livejournal.com]

Seconded. What a twat.

[sivi-volk.livejournal.com]

*blink*

I have no problem with someone promoting their right to dress like a goth, but I was Wiccan for about 2 years, and I never heard anything about that. Obviously, he's in the right, but stupid.

Oh, good heavens...

[laurewyrm.livejournal.com]

The picture from the article is priceless...especially the caption

"...says he wears goth-like clothing and make-up because it makes him feel better about himself."

I guess I am a bit of a snob or something, but I would be way more supportive of this kid if his make-up job had actually looked good. As it stands, he looks like a four-year-old that got into his Mom's lipstick.


He is right, the school shouldn't have suspended him for wearing it, but considering he is also repeating his second year at the school, I think there is probably more to the situation than just that...he sounds like he has other problems that could have contributed to suspension.

Re: Oh, good heavens...

[waterspyder.livejournal.com]

I've had parents come up and ask me if I can show their goth kids how to do their make-up. They are okay with their children expressing themselves, but would rather they didn't look like raccoons in the process.

Re: Oh, good heavens...

[jerril]

You know, I bet Sears and such could really boost their cosmetics business if they started doing makeup classes for goth-style makeup as well as the "I am made entirely of putty and spackle" school of makeup.