The Progress has an article today on school fashion. It’s relatively straightforward, except for a quote from the principal of Buford Middle about goths in the school, who wear all black. “We can’t allow things like that to go,” Daniel said, adding that some of the students in question wore pentagrams, a satanic symbol. “It’s OK if you want to wear black, but when you begin to have symbols and have things painted on their bodies, I have to step in,” the principal added.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
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Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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I wonder if Ms. Daniel has also banned crucifixes from the school? How about Hindu girls — could they have a tika or a binda on their forehead?
I clearly remember during my stay at Western Albemarle years ago, many of us “deviants” had wallet chains and spiked bracelets confiscated, but at least that was under the pretense of public safety. This sort of baseless prejudice however, which is a clear violation of first-amendment rights, is absolutely intolerable. Are we really so closed-minded and puritanistic that we still assume that pentagrams mean hexes and the devil? These kids just want attention, and better some tacky jewelry than them running around half-naked like many of their peers.
Are we really so closed-minded and puritanistic that we still assume that pentagrams mean hexes and the devil?
And even if they do mean hexes and the devil — worshipping Satan is somehow less valid than worshipping God, in light of this country’s freedom of religion?
I could be wrong, but I’d suspect that there are still laws against putting hexes on people. Particularly in this state, where some “spring cleaning” of outdated laws is desperately overdue.
Something else to note is that an upside-down pentagram is used by the Order of the Eastern Star, a masonry organization mainily targeted to women. It’s existed for over 100 yearsand at least used to consist of rich society women. They sure don’t consider it a satanic symbol. When are people going to get over this satanism thing?
“when you begin to have symbols and have things
painted on their bodies, I have to step in”
I’ll remind you, this is a SCHOOL PRINCIPAL who
is denouncing SYMBOLS.
Let me also remind you that the alphabet,
numbers, mathmatical operators, etc. are all
symbols. Is he trying to put himself out
of business?
I wonder if this guy has nightmares about muppets
chasing him around with oversized foam letters.
Personally, I cant wait until this whole goth
thing is replaced by some equally stupid and
trendy fasion. I’m sick of it, aren’t you?
Oh the angst… it hurts… ouch… no really
it hurts… make it stop!
Lars
Yeah, I think the Goth thing is dead, too.
heh.
This is ridiculous. The pentagram is hardly solely a satanic symbol, anyway. Generally, I feel positively towards the Charlottesville public school system, but they have always just been absurd on the front of student rights. All sorts of things, like unannounced searches of high school lockers, have made it perfectly clear that the administration behind the Charlottesville school system sees students as a whole as second-class citizens. If kids want to wear symbols, the written policy (at least up to now) was that nothing could “detract from the learning experience,” or some such. This sort of policy is analogous to various local governments censoring musicians for performing too loudly (the NYC “Rock against Racism” case springs to mind), and as it is not inherently content-based, it at least flies a little bit. The censorship of student wear based on symbol or supposed religious affiliation is simply illegal. No, Mr. Daniel, you don’t have to step in. Suck it.
Billy, be quiet before someone gets sodomized.
It’s that kind of attitude that leads to the eating of souls, my friend.
Hardly flamebait. I was making a reference to the out of date sodomy laws. Bah.
The smart thing to do with regard to what kids wear at school would be to have a dress code and require all students to wear school uniforms. Plain and simple. But where do the student’s rights end and common sense begin? What happens if a student claims it is his ‘right’ not to wear any clothing at all? Sort of like that college out in California a few years back who attended all his classes in the nude. At least that would be less offensive than the wearing of Satanic symbols. Whats next, allowing these brats to wear swastikas and confederate flags and claim it is one of their rights? I don’t think so.