Posted on 04/13/2005 9:53:17 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) - A ninth-grade student has accused officials at a Southern California high school of discrimination for suspending him for wearing lipstick and eye makeup.
James Herndon, 16, said the five-day suspension imposed Monday by administrators at San Bernardino's Pacific High School was unfair because females are allowed to wear cosmetics on campus. "If I can't wear makeup," he said, "then the girls or the staff can't wear makeup either."
Herndon says his black lipstick and red eye makeup express the Wiccan religious beliefs he shares with his mother, a priestess in the neo-pagan faith. The suspension violates his constitutional right to free expression, he contends.
Linda Hill, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino City Unified School District, declined to comment on the case, citing student confidentiality laws.
She said, however, that students shouldn't wear excessive makeup or clothing that could conceal their identity or be distracting to other students, a prohibition applied to male and female students alike.
Herndon, who is repeating his second year at the school, has worn makeup since he enrolled, according to his mother, Valerie Wallace.
Despite the suspension, Herndon plans to wear the makeup when he returns to school next week.
"My son shouldn't change the way he is," Wallace said.
Why did I know it was in California?
But in San Bernadino?
"Herndon says his black lipstick and red eye makeup express the Wiccan religious beliefs he shares with his mother, a priestess in the neo-pagan faith. The suspension violates his constitutional right to free expression, he contends."
Back when I was in the 9th grade, he would've gotten black eyes with no makeup, and bloody red lips. Daily.
God created uniforms for a reason.
Agree. Goths can at least be cool. Wiccans are just...ewwwww.
Hard to imagine what on earth would cause a sane person to go to the bother to search this out and post it.
Of all the events and happenings in this world?
I wonder how she feels about Christian kids wearing pro-Christ t-shirts.
It seems the oddness has moved out of the traditional California garden spots to the north. I used to think that the northern quarter of the state was semi-normal, but evidently the invasion from the south is changing the demographics faster than I thought.
The kid was probably frightening the other students. I wouldn't want to find myself alone with him in an empty hall way!!!
San Bernadino is inland from Los Angeles, and very downscale and blue collar demographically.
Hard to figure out how or why you even bother looking at any thread I post, but Thanks for the Bump anyway.
The root cause of these problems is that SOMEONE is paying that kid's bills, probably well into their early 20's as they go off to college.
If you want to dress like that, fine... It's not right for mom and dad to pay for it though. Go get a job and support yourself, and then you'll see why people resent dressing weird just to get attention - because you CAN'T DO THAT AT WORK.
The school is going to lose - it is impossible to conceive that a student could be protected as a transvestite in California yet prosecuted for wearing makeup.
I so look forward to the day when the liberals are drummed out of the state and we can start cleaning up the disaster they left behind.
A 16 year-old 9th grader?
That's right! Wicca is for making chairs, baskets, and things, right?
James Herndon says he wears goth-like clothing and make-up because it makes him feel better about himself.
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