Patriot-News, The (Harrisburg, PA)
LARA BRENCKLE
May 3, 2011
Student, school clash over patriotic face painting
When Connor Tressler tuned in to watch his beloved Philadelphia Phillies take on the New York Mets on Sunday evening, he didn't expect to witness history.The game was interrupted by news that U.S. special forces had killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden during a raid in Pakistan.
Likewise, when the Middle Paxton Elementary School fifth-grader's mother painted his face with an American flag, "USA" and the date of bin Laden's demise Monday morning, neither dreamed it would cause him to run afoul of his school's administration.
"They told me it was against the school's code of conduct, that they're not against the patriotic display, but that the paint goes against the scholastic environment," Connor's mother,Jennifer Tressler, said.
Connor, and then his mother, were notified he needed to remove the paint. When both refused, Tressler removed her son for the rest of the school day.
Both sides agreed Connor was never asked to leave the school.
Though the dress code does not specifically exclude face paint, the code states that students "have the right to wear such clothing or apparel as they choose, unless such clothing or apparel distracts from the educational program or constitutes a health or safety hazard." Middle Paxton's principal, Carol Lopez, referred a reporter who visited her Monday to the Central Dauphin School District's public relations official.
Shannon Leib, the district's spokeswoman, said face paint is never permitted.
"In this instance, there was a disruption in the hallway, a reaction of other students pointing or laughing at this student," Leib said.
When asked if a shirt, written with the same symbols, would have been more appropriate, Leib said each case of student expression is considered on its own merits.
In this case, the face paint and the reaction to it drew Lopez's attention.
Lopez acted correctly when she called district Assistant Superintendent Carol Johnson to proceed with a course of action, Leib said.
Mary Catherine Roper, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, called the district's response "an overreaction." "Just because a student's speech is effective does not make it disruptive," Roper said. "There's a difference between discussion and debate, which schools should encourage, and a breakdown of discipline in the classroom." Roper pointed to the recent federal court decision allowing students in the Easton Area School District to sport "I (Heart) Boobies" bracelets to support a breast cancer charity. "What the court said is that a couple of kids making remarks is not a disruption," Roper said.
Remarks, Tressler and her son said, are the only thing that occurred Monday morning.
"My teacher said it looks nice," Connor said.
In fact, Tressler said, it was more disruptive to the school day to have Connor pulled out of class twice in about a half-hour than the brief laughs and stares he got in the hallway as he entered school.
What's more, Tressler said, her son, who plays baseball, came to school last year with a temporary tattoo of a Pirates logo on his neck and a ring of Pirates-related symbols around it.
That display drew no comments from anyone, she said, and was for less serious a reason.
Connor, who was a baby on Sept. 11, 2001, said he was stunned and proud when the baseball game was interrupted by President Barack Obama's announcement.
He has several friends whose parents served tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and he was partially thinking about them as he planned his patriotic display. He's happy for his country, he said.
Connor and his mother said he plans to be in school today.
"I guess I won't paint my face anymore," Connor said. "They didn't say anything about my shirt, so I'll stick to T-shirts.".
April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008