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Let Freedom Ring,
Posted on 09/23/2004 7:30:00 AM PDT by mvpel
Edited on 09/23/2004 9:44:01 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Blake Douglass, a senior at Londonderry High School in Londonderry, New Hampshire, is an avid trap shooter. Blake has chosen for his senior picture a photograph that portrays him in traditional trap shooting garb with a opened shotgun over his shoulder. I have been told I will not be able to provide copies of the picture until on or about next Wednesday, although I have seen it and would represent that it is of a classic pose, and classy and tasteful.
This person is a member, along with his family, of Pelham Fish and Game (*past three years or so). He is 17, clean cut, quiet, and an avid shooter. His mother says this is a kid who never wants to draw attention to himself.
For the past year he dreamed of having his senior picture (senior pictures are typically taken by outside, private photographers, and given to the yearbook staff for inclusion in the yearbook) taken with his trap/skeet vest, oxford shirt, and glove, his shotgun broken open, over his shoulder, a clean cut kid, in a typical shooter's pose. Mom asked son if son wanted to pursue this with all the resulting publicity etc. it will bring, son said yes. Mom was surprised, but feels that son is good kid, one that never speaks up, and if son wants to speak up now, she will stand by him. (Father is avid shooter, so no question about dad, mom also shoots)
The senior was told his picture is 'not appropriate' by Londonderry school officials. I was retained last week, and met with the principal on Tuesday.
The school superintendent, Nathan S. Greenberg, 268 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, NH 03053, phone 603-432-6920 x 103 fax 603-425-1049, did not attend the Tuesday meeting, despite the meeting having been scheduled well in advance (no rational explanation was given for his absence) and confirmed.
I attempted to present a reasoned appeal, one in which I tried to explain that other schools had trap teams, and published photos of same in their yearbooks, that many 'weapons' were depicted in the Londonderry yearbooks throughout history past and present (Londonderry Lancers' logo is a knight on a horse with a lance).
I explained that the VERY limited written school policy in general, and more specifically pertaining to the yearbook, explicitly stated that students were to be allowed to express themselves. All pleas and explanations fell on deaf ears. It was clear a decision had been made without hearing or discussion, and no appeal was possible or would be allowed (other than a judicial one).
When queried directly, Principal Elefante admitted that he had no intention of changing his mind about allowing Blake's chosen senior picture to appear in the yearbook, and thus the more than one hour meeting was a waste of time.
Interestingly enough, Principal Elefante offered to pay the cost of Blake Douglass having a different, more 'tasteful and appropriate' senior picture taken. When Principal Elefante was asked specifically who made the decision to prohibit Blake Douglass from using his chosen senior picture depicting Blake's interest in shooting, the Principal would not provide a direct answer.
Mr. Elefante repeated several mantras all of which were in substance 'I support the decision' and 'this one WILL NOT be goin' in'. Again, when Principal Elefante was asked who made the decision to bar Blake's picture or who could override it, no clear, definite, or concise answer was provided. We were told the students on the yearbook staff 'agreed' with the decision to prohibit Blake from publishing his chosen picture, but when Mr. Elefante was asked which specific students were on the yearbook staff and if they saw the picture (as opposed to having it described to them), no clear or substantive answer was provided. Mr. Elefante made an emotional yet threatening plea that 'the family should sit down WITHOUT THE LAWYER and decide whether or not they want to bring something such as this on themselves and the community'.
Despite the fact that Londondery Lancers have a knight with a lance as their mascot, and that other kids have their hobbies (cars, musical instruments, sports hobbies etc) in their senior pictures, my client cannot. There are many pictures of military men with guns in yearbook, but that is different, it is 'current events' or 'history'.
The two yearbook advisors are reported to be Steve Jouster and Lou Graehein (I have been unable to confirm the spelling of this Lou's last name).
Blake Douglass was told that the picture was political and not appropriate for a school setting. Blake does not see this as political or making a statement, it is simply a form of communication and expression. However, if it is political or a form of free speech and expression, then as the courts have said "students do not leave their free speech rights at the schoolhouse door" ... PUBLISH THE PICTURE.
Shooting is Blake's chosen sport and area of interest, his hobby, just as some students like football, basketball, or have other hobbies or interests and have those interests depicted in their senior photo(s), Blake wants to have his hobby depicted in his senior photo. One student is pictured standing next to the front of a Ford Mustang, there are countless other examples of students expressing their individuality, hobbies and interests.
We do not know of any form of appeal other than judicial, which will have to be filed next Thursday, not Friday as previously reported, will be expensive, and time consuming. With the ongoing school funding crisis, school budgets are tight. Londonderry is willing to waste tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on lawyers rather than a myriad of other necessities simply to violate the rights of a student. School officials are making a poor choice by choosing to use taxpayer money to fund a lawsuit opposing Blake's picture! Please ask the individuals below to PUBLISH THE PICTURE!
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance,
Penny Dean 603-230-9999 for the Douglass family
Do you have a link to this article?
Celebrate Diversity
Yeah, right. I wonder if the young man could be photographed wearing a t-shirt with the state motto on it.
Bump
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Let Freedom Ring,
BTTT
Stay Safe.......Y
Now, if he wanted a picture or himself making love to a male sheep, the school and the ACLU would defend his right to do it.
The stupidity of some school officials are simply mind boggling!
Be Ever Vigilant!
Maybe Kerry should tried for a hate crime since he was photographed with that shotgun. I can't remember President Bush 43 photographed with a gun. NRA bump!
GWB recently said in a speech in West Virgina that "The Right Of The People To Keep And Bear Arms Shall Not Be Infringed!"
He doesn't have to hold a shotgun like JF'nK or Slick Willie.
Ann Jacoby: ajacoby@londonderry.org
Steve Young: seyoung@londonderry.org
Dan Bever: dbever@londonderry.org
Ron Campo: rcampo@londonderry.org
Paul Margolin: pmargolin@londonderry.org
Superintendent's public email address:
Nate Greenberg: ngreenberg@londonderry.org
Unfortunately, there does not appear to be a public email for the High School Principal
Bet this school doesn't have a JROTC.
I wonder if an appeal from that avid slithering shotgun hunter John doesn't-have-an-effin-clue Kerry would do the trick? he could be for the photo before he was against the photo.
Not surprising...Anybody remember hearing the National Anthem played for Kim Rhode at the Athens Olympics when she won the Gold Medal ... or at Atlanta Olympics when she won two gold medals?
Another interesting point -- the US Olympic committee campaign for public support for our athletes (training etc) was given network air time a few years ago with the express restriction that no mention of the shooting sports could be made in the campaign.........
I sent a nice friendly letter to all of them.
Nope. Besides, he's got the "nukular" trigger. Slick couldn't be bothered to keep up with his code cards for the thing, and the mind boggles to think what JF'nK would make of it.
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