Rosary causes concern at school STUDENT FACES GANG CHARGES
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Brooke Point High School junior says school officials told him not to wear his rosary to school because it's connected to a gang
Date published: 12/1/2007
BY JEFF BRANSCOME
A Brooke Point High School junior says an assistant principal recently told him not to wear his rosary to school because it is a symbol of the notorious MS-13 gang.
However, the school administration says the student, 17, was never told he couldn't wear the rosary, but was asked to conceal it. They say their request came shortly after another Brooke Point student was arrested for recruiting gang members.
About a week and a half ago, the high school junior said, he witnessed a fight and was called to Assistant Principal Greg Daniel's office to talk about it.
After the conversation, Daniel and Deputy Carol Burgess questioned him about his rosary, said the student, who asked not be identified.
The assistant principal later told him to put the rosary in his pocket and to never bring it to school again, the student claims.
He and his mother, Chere Gallik, say the school is violating the teen's constitutional rights.
"Ever since I got confirmed, [the rosary] has just been something very special to me," said the student, who attends a Catholic church in Triangle. "I always like to have it with me. It's just comforting to me."
Stafford County school spokeswoman Valerie Cottongim said the boy was asked to wear the rosary underneath his shirt because its use by a gang could lead to problems.
"As the school division becomes educated on things that are happening in society, we are having to share that education with our students as well," Cottongim said. "We want to make sure the students are safe."
The student, who claims he was treated with suspicion, said he didn't wear the rosary again until yesterday. The teenager said he even saw the assistant principal without incident.
Cottongim on Thursday told The Free Lance-Star that the beads were permitted at Brooke Point.
However, the student said his fourth-period teacher referred him to Daniel for "defiance" because he politely refused to remove his rosary. Cottongim said yesterday that the assistant principal had not received such a notice.
Gallik said her son didn't even know the string of beads was used by the Latino street gang until school officials told him.
His rosary, which was blessed by a bishop, has black beads and a black and silver cross.
"You cannot take his rights away from him like that," Gallik said. "Maybe they should read the Constitution they're supposed to be teaching him. He's not disrupting anyone."
Her son, who has blond hair and blue eyes, doesn't exactly match the description of an MS-13 gang member, she said.
Virginia ACLU Executive Director Kent Willis said it's inappropriate for a school official to request that students conceal their rosaries.
"It would be an uphill argument for the school to ban something as commonly associated with religion as a rosary because it also happens to be something used by a particular gang," he said.
Cottongim said any student can wear a rosary, but that it can be confiscated "in connection with something else."
Gallik said her oldest son just got back from a long tour in Iraq, and it's important for her son at Brooke Point to have "his faith to hold onto."
The church she attends has offered legal assistance and she's considering accompanying her son to school Monday.
"I want to be able to wear my rosary without someone accusing me of being in a gang," the teen said. "There's nothing wrong with me wearing something expressing my faith. Why should I not do that?"
Before the latest controversy over a rosary, another Brooke Point High School student was arrested Nov. 2 for possession of alcohol and three counts of gang recruitment, said Stafford Sheriff Charles Jett.
The 16-year-old student had worn MS-13 colors to school and had passed along his rosary to others, which is indicative of gang recruitment, Jett said.
The blue rosary was taken from that student because of "information the school resource officer received that was consistent with gang involvement," Jett said. The teen even tried to hide it when approached by school officials.
He is being held at the Rappahannock Juvenile Detention Center and is scheduled for a hearing Jan. 2.
"You really have to applaud school officials for paying attention to things that with the untrained eye would go unrecognized," Jett said.
Read more stories about Fredericksburg Date published: 12/1/2007
Children in Stafford schools are free to wear cross necklaces, crucifixes, saint medals, etc. They are even free to carry a rosary in their pocket--as is tradition in the Catholic faith. Most will never see a practicing Catholic wear a rosary as a necklace--it is not done by many. In fact, it is seen as disrespectful or sacreligious by many in the Church. Research shows that the custom of wearing the rosary by gang members originated in jails where they are allowed rosaries but not other identifiers.
I lived in CA my whole life and when people hear that they think "liberal", but I lived in a bible belt and the public schools were very strict, but was diverse and our American freedoms intact (school colors - red, white & blue), but we had "gang intelligence", Recently, we have seen the same level of disrespect as "gang" schools in Los Angeles (mouthing off to teachers and administrators like its not big deal). If this trend is ignored, Virginia schools will become what it imitates. Lord help us.
We lose the good to preserve the bad?(posted by
Chrisw1219
, Dec. 5, 2007 11:57 am)
I do not understand how anyone can justify having this student remove any religious item. Because ONE student was found to SUPPOSEDLY be using his rosary to recruit gang members, does not justify the actions taken here. I have seen gang members wearing their big gold "BLING" like crosses and crucifixes also, but that does not justify people being told they cannont wear them. Unfortunately, as this world is - good will always be used for evil by some, but that will NEVER justify removing the GOOD!
it comes down to voting....(posted by
testsubj
, Dec. 5, 2007 10:43 am)
ACLU and liberals are advocating movements where they dismantle every systems of policy that "appears" oppressive ... they want kids to be their own boss at 1 y/o, and parents cant force rules on them or they can be construed as abusive parenting, ie. spanking, verbal discplines, etc. are being used against parenting... all these SPs and liberals are also the ones allowing gang colors to permeate thru the social systems cos its free speech ... just thnk, graffitti was once vandalism, due to ACLU, its now called art ... at some point, anything gangs do can be "art" ... it takes 1 atheist, or 1 SP, or 1 liberal ot make a phone call to force a change... why cant it take 1 conservative parent to do the same ... ?? ...
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