Thread: School goes ballistic when 2nd-grader draws Jesus

FAITH UNDER FIRE

School goes ballistic when 2nd-grader draws Jesus

Boy, 8, gets psych evaluation after sketch of Christ on cross called 'violent'

Posted: December 15, 2009
12:51 pm Eastern
By Chelsea Schilling
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

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.

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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."

The following is the drawing in question:



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 (50821-1265, or fax to (50 821-1274. The Taunton Public Schools district office may be reached by calling (50 821-1100 or e-mailing Superintendent Julie Hackett.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=119079

Yea but if he had drawn a satanic symbol it wouldn't be a problem.

It's an Icon people! Get over it. They act like they have never seen this on a rosary.

Lincolns death was violent, the 9-11 attacks were violent, the video game his brother plays is violent, the news clip he saw on TV is violent... What do they expect the kid to draw? He ain't exposed to daisies and lollipops everyday.

Dixie