SCHENECTADY Judge: Boy can wear rosary beads to school until Sept.
Raymond Hosier will be able to wear his rosary beads through the beginning of eighth grade, a federal judge has decided. Hosier, who is fi nishing seventh grade at Oneida Middle School this month, can wear his beads through Sept. 10 while his attorney and the district argue his case in federal court. U.S. District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn issued the ruling Wednesday and canceled the hearing previously set for today . It was rescheduled for Sept. 8, the first day of school. The issue began last month when Hosier’s uncle, a devout Catholic, died. Days later, Hosier became defiant in school, shouting at his principal over his seating assignment during a state test. Shortly after that, the principal told him to take off his rosary, a necklace of plastic purple beads. Beads are banned at the school district because gangs sometimes wear colored beads to proclaim their gang allegiance. ..............>>>>....................>>>>............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01606&AppName=1
Wondering why the “good news” kids never get noticed? I am writing on behalf of the one people call the “bead boy.” This 13-year-old for the last three years has stood by his mother, raising money for bike helmets, etc. We have spent [the] money the kids and family raised to make sure something good would come from our grandson Joseph’s death. We still have kids asking us if we have any more helmets for their new brother or sister. Sometimes I’ve been able to come through, and it’s a joy to say our work has paid off a little; to see kids aware of their actions. I also have read all the comments about the bead boy. Well, for the record, I am proud of him for standing up for his rights, and I am proud of him, his friends and family for all the positive work they have done to make “Remember Joey Day” worth remembering. If anything, I hope the Schenectady schools will come up with a better dress code.
Naah, they would rather waste money on more law suits and more horrible national press. They have to change more than the Superintendent to start improving.
SCHENECTADY District will allow beads in school Change in code of conduct negates lawsuit claim BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
Raymond Hosier will get to wear his rosary beads to school. The 13-year-old who wore his rosary to school last spring, even though administrators told him they would suspend him for it, will be able to wear his purple necklace this year. Just before the first day of school, the school board plans to change the district’s code of conduct, eliminating the sentence that describes beads as a possible gang symbol. The entire sentence, which bans beads, bandannas, colors, flags and anything else deemed “gang-related,” has been deleted in the new version of the code. Hosier was suspended from school on the school district’s argument that his beads could be gang symbols. The change will make moot most of the lawsuit Hosier’s attorney filed against the school district this summer. The suit alleges that the school district violated Hosier’s First Amendment rights by not allowing him to display his rosary, a religious symbol. The district was fighting the case in court as recently as Aug. 2, when school attorney Patrick Fitzgerald filed legal papers saying that Hosier was not wearing the rosary for religious reasons. He also wrote that the district doesn’t have sufficient information to know whether Hosier is a member of a gang. But new Superintendent John Yagielski decided that students should be punished for what they do, not what they wear. “The focus is on the student’s behavior,” spokeswoman Karen Corona said. “The focus is not on the clothing unless it causes a disruption.” She said Yagielski disagreed with the blanket ban on beads, bandannas and other accessories. “It’s just way too vague,” Corona said. “He said there was a better way for us to deal with the topic of gangs.” A school committee is forming policies for handling clothing that becomes a gang-related disruption. In the meantime, the school board plans to adopt the revised code on Sept. 1 after a public hearing at 7 p.m. at Paige Elementary School. Board members had expressed support for the revised code at their last meeting, though they didn’t discuss the specifi cs of the plan. They couldn’t vote on the changes until a public hearing was held. School officials said the change had nothing to do with Hosier’s lawsuit. But Fitzgerald said the change would force the court to throw out most of the lawsuit. “If the district changes its code of conduct, certainly it would render moot any claim that provision was unconstitutional, because it won’t exist anymore,” he said. ......................>>>>.....................>>>>....................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00101&AppName=1
the government cant tell you that you CANT wear them.....if gangs use them then prosecute the gangs.....there is all this ideology going around about pre-emptive zero tolerance crap.......what happened
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
They collapsed like a house of cards. The old policy was idiotic and served no educational purpose. More useless rules that Elys/Jiffy Jeffy were infamous for.
If the kid is going to Schalmont good for him-then he can wear rosary beads til the cows come home.
Perhaps this new superintendent can turn this school around. He's got a good start!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
SO now, the government can insult Catholics. That kid doesn't even know what a Rosary is or means, this was never about relilgious freedom, he's not Catholic and his mother still wants big money out of the school district
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
SO now, the government can insult Catholics. That kid doesn't even know what a Rosary is or means, this was never about religious freedom, he's not Catholic and his mother still wants big money out of the school district
Relax MC....no one is insulting the catholics! Where did ya get that one from? First, whether he is a practicing catholic or not is none or yours or my business....really! So what if the kid doesn't know what the rosary is or means. Hell, I was raised catholic,(not one now) and up until today I don't know what the heck they were for. But if I wanna wear them....you can bet I will.
And if they are suing the school....that is because the school set themselves up for this ridiculous iaw suit by imposing a ridiculous law!!
However, this lawsuit will set a precedence for future ridiculously imposed laws.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Perhaps this new superintendent can turn this school around. He's got a good start!!
A good move but don't get carried away. There's still a little problem with the $12 million deficit and the fact that the old Jiffy Jeffy budget is totally unworkable. Start cutting now not in the Spring.
Did you see the new sidewalks by Zoller? Too bad McClellan has none.
Did you see the new sidewalks by Zoller? Too bad McClellan has none.
No I didn't but I did see the ones by Union College. Who's paying for those?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Logged
Naah, they would rather waste money on more law suits and more horrible national press. They have to change more than the Superintendent to start improving. 
