Nova Scotia Student Suspended For Jesus Shirt

[richardson]

Just curious about where the line should be drawn.

Here are some alternatives..

"Turn your back on Mohammed...
...and burn in hell"

"Worship Jesus...
...all the cool kids like zombies."

"Find some real friends to spend Sundays with...
...your invisible one doesn't exist"

Everybody OK with kids wearing those to school?

the first one is disagreeable to me but an honest expression of one interpretation of Islam.
The second two are meant to be provocative and could serve no purpose towards dialogue.
But I don't know if any public organization should be able to ban any of them.
But I don't know what that school board bans. I presume it bans all sorts of tshirts. Maybe someone here knows.

[Brown envelope]

This kid just wants to be a martyr at this point. So screw him, go to a different school if he refuses to follow the rules.

Really? Is 'following the rules' the reason why public schools in Ontario now have muslim prayer rooms?

[Scanner]

I believe in freedom of expression, even for teens.

We should allow all the pro-Jesus shirts as well as the 'bong hits for Jesus' ones. Let the market sort things out.

[styky]

This kid just wants to be a martyr at this point. So screw him, go to a different school if he refuses to follow the rules.

Really? Is 'following the rules' the reason why public schools in Ontario now have muslim prayer rooms?

Or schools that ban weapons of any kind allow Kirpans?

[Scanner]

BrownEnvelope:"Really? Is 'following the rules' the reason why public schools in Ontario now have muslim prayer rooms?"

Yes. Presumably Muslim students, as well as Christian, have a room they use for prayer, etc. So what?

[mindyrbusiness]

jesus_nailed_hand-invert.gif (48.62 KiB) Viewed 262 times

112_01_0103_Symbols_tb_small.jpg (6.21 KiB) Viewed 262 times

The student's pastor was on Ezra's show and explained it wasn't an actual quote but an interpretation of Philippians Ch. 3:v8
Too bad the kid doesn't use the KJV version which reads
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

[styky]

N.S. school board reverses ban on `offensive' Christian T-shirt


By Sheila Dabu Nonato, Postmedia News May 4, 2012



A Grade 12 student who was suspended after wearing a T-shirt with a Christian slogan apparently deemed offensive by some teachers and students is no longer banned from wearing it to his Nova Scotia school.

The South Shore Regional School Board confirmed Friday that the student can wear the T-shirt when he returns to school on Monday and that discussions with students will begin that same day about ``expressing beliefs in a complex multicultural school environment.''

William Swinimer was suspended by his principal at Forest Heights Community School in Chester Basin, west of Halifax, for five days after he refused to stop wearing a T-shirt with the slogan ``Life is wasted without Jesus.''

In media reports, Swinimer vowed to return to school on Monday wearing the T-shirt, citing the right to freedom of expression under the charter.

A school-wide discussion with a board-appointed facilitator is planned for May 7 at the school.

``The discussions with students will include discussions of any slogans worn to school on Monday that express personal beliefs and how we discuss those that may be offensive to other students,'' said Supt. Nancy Pynch-Worthylake in an email to Postmedia News. ``Our focus will not be on discipline but rather on discussing and learning together.''

The board said interested students and their families are also invited Monday evening to have similar discussions ``on messaging that can be interpreted in a number of ways.''

According to the board, the discussion isn't really about the contested T-shirt but ``a broader discussion of how to express our beliefs in a respectful manner and how we deal with concerns about that message.''

In a previous interview, Pynch-Worthylake said the T-shirt was interpreted by some teachers and students at the school as a ``criticism of their beliefs.''

``While we may differ on the interpretation of a message, the priority is to provide an opportunity to learn how to express beliefs and concerns,'' she said in a Friday statement.

According to board policy, ``students may choose to wear clothing that embraces their beliefs. However, it is expected that students will not wear clothing with messages that may offend others' beliefs, race, religion, culture or lifestyle.''

http://www.canada.com/school+board+reve ... story.html

[Paycheck]

Religious liberty is not negotiable, Nancy. And we really don't have to be nice about it either or worry that you are offended by Jesus Christ's claims as the only way to the Father.

The ONLY way, Nancy.

Not your way. Not Muhammed's way. Not Buddha's way. Not Darwin's way. Not Bob Rae's way.

[Brown envelope]

BrownEnvelope:"Really? Is 'following the rules' the reason why public schools in Ontario now have muslim prayer rooms?"

Yes. Presumably Muslim students, as well as Christian, have a room they use for prayer, etc. So what?

Sorry, was that always the rule?

[Hailey]

Small liberal, the people with the darwin fish eating a christian symbol is intended to say something mocking abuot Christianity. I don't think that a youth wearing that t-shirt or putting that symbol on his binder should be expelled though it makes me cringe.

[WestViking]

It is not meant to be offensive. But, even if it was, he should be allowed to express his opinion. I see stuff that offends me all the time. That's life.

It is offensive. He is telling everybody if you dont believe in his brand of christianity your life is wasted. That is offensive especially to others who are not even christian. What does that say to a jewish kid or a hindu kid.

That is your interpretation of what is written on a t-shirt! Let's please get something straight. There is no law against offending someone. None! If you choose to be offended, you have that privilege. However, society has no obligation to do anything about it. You have not been assaulted or harmed, you have not had any right or freedom infringed upon, so you have no cause for a complaint or tort.

Leftists, liberals and progressives seem to think that they can change us all by claiming this or that offends them and then behaving as if sane people should do something to remove whatever offends them. I have a news flash for you - take your politically correct sensibilities and put them where the sun don't shine. Your freedom to feel offended remains intact.

[The Devil's Advocate]

It is not meant to be offensive. But, even if it was, he should be allowed to express his opinion. I see stuff that offends me all the time. That's life.

It is offensive. He is telling everybody if you dont believe in his brand of christianity your life is wasted. That is offensive especially to others who are not even christian. What does that say to a jewish kid or a hindu kid.

That is your interpretation of what is written on a t-shirt! Let's please get something straight. There is no law against offending someone. None! If you choose to be offended, you have that privilege. However, society has no obligation to do anything about it. You have not been assaulted or harmed, you have not had any right or freedom infringed upon, so you have no cause for a complaint or tort.

Leftists, liberals and progressives seem to think that they can change us all by claiming this or that offends them and then behaving as if sane people should do something to remove whatever offends them. I have a news flash for you - take your politically correct sensibilities and put them where the sun don't shine. Your freedom to feel offended remains intact.

The idea that someone hasn't the right to not feel offended is a great one -- when applied equally in all cases. The next time an article is posted in regards to an artist's creation that may be considered cause for offense by members of the Christian faith, I look forward to you reminding all of this very important concept.

As for the little faux-bastion of free speech, he's more than welcome in my mind to let his biases be clearly displayed, although for myself the only message he's really displaying is the inherent value of school uniforms. As I've always said you can't have two number one priorities, and I'm more than comfortable in my doubt that his is the work he's actually being sent to school to do.

[WestViking]

The idea that someone hasn't the right to not feel offended is a great one -- when applied equally in all cases. The next time an article is posted in regards to an artist's creation that may be considered cause for offense by members of the Christian faith, I look forward to you reminding all of this very important concept.

You may have difficulty reading this in the morning. Everyone has the freedom to feel offended. Fill your boots.

[Edward Kennedy]

So once again we learn that the dialetic secular humanist scumbots of academia are intolerant of any other religion but their own...but that has always been the lieberal bent...also an ahole is ALWAYS an ahole in a principal's chair or school board office.

[RedDog]

The board has overruled the school. He'll be wearing the shirt Monday, or any other day he chooses.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scot ... chool.html