Bryan Lafond, in a photo taken at his home,
before going to the holiday dance at Hampton
Academy Junior High School on Friday night.
Posted on 12/23/2004 12:37:09 PM PST by O.C. - Old Cracker
Bryan Lafond, in a photo taken at his home,
before going to the holiday dance at Hampton
Academy Junior High School on Friday night.
HAMPTON - A parent of a Hampton Academy Junior High School student says the principal of the school told his son to leave the school’s holiday dance on Friday night because the boy was dressed in a Santa Claus costume, which was politically incorrect. Michael Lafond said his son, Bryan, went to the dance dressed as Santa because it was a holiday party.
"He asked if he could dress like Santa and we said yes," said Lafond. "We went to Brooks and purchased the outfit and everything."
Lafond said his wife dropped off Bryan at the school.
"I went to the dance with my friend," said Bryan Lafond, who is in seventh grade. "He had an elf hat on and we thought it was pretty cool. Everyone loved the suit, but when I went by the principal, he asked why I was dressed like that."
Principal Fred Muscara said he told the boy he couldn’t get into the dance because he was wearing the costume.
"It was a holiday party," said Muscara. "It was not a Christmas party. There is a separation of church and state. We have a lot of students that go to Hampton Academy Junior High that have different religions. We have to be sensitive to that."
Bryan said while Muscara didn’t say he had to leave, he told Bryan if he wanted to go the dance he would have to change out of the suit and put on proper attire for the dance.
Having nothing to change into, Bryan left the dance to try and find his mother.
"My wife was leaving the parking lot when she saw Bryan running out of the building," said Lafond. "He told her that the principal said it was politically incorrect to wear the Santa outfit."
"I saw him running out of the building crying," said Leslie Lafond, Bryan’s mother.
Lafond said while he disagrees with their reasoning he could almost understand it.
What he couldn’t understand was why his son was able to leave the dance.
"One of reasons why we are so angry is that the school has a policy that says once you go to the dance you can’t leave until it’s over," said Lafond. "You can’t leave school grounds unless they call a parent. If my wife wasn’t there, my son would have been out roaming the streets."
Bryan’s mother picked up her son and drove him home to change.
Lafond said his wife had to persuade Bryan to go back to the dance.
"He was so embarrassed," said Lafond. "It wasn’t like he was trying to pull a prank. He is just a good-natured kid getting into the holiday spirit who just happened to walk right by Scrooge."
Muscara said he was unaware that Bryan left the dance.
"I asked if he had something he could change into and he said he did," said Muscara.
Lafond said when his wife drove Bryan back to the dance, she complained to school officials.
She said she also complained to several School Board members and Muscara.
On Monday, Bryan’s parents went before the School Board to voice their concerns.
"I don’t want this to happen again," said Leslie. "It is unacceptable. When Bryan returned to the school, the principal said, ‘What are you doing, trying to get me fired.’ That is not a proper comment to make to a student."
Superintendent James Gaylord told the School Board it would discuss the matter in non-public session because it involved a student and personnel.
When contacted at her house Monday afternoon, Hampton School Board Chairman Nancy Serpis said she was concerned with what she heard.
"We need to look at the whole situation," said Serpis.
Lafond said political correctness is getting out of control.
"I don’t get it," said Lafond, citing a PTA breakfast with Santa at the school a couple of weeks ago.
"What’s next? Are they going to get rid of Halloween because of paganism?" he asked.
"The last time I checked, Christmas was the celebration of the birth of Christ and not Santa Claus," Leslie said. "I want them to make an apology to my son. My son was humiliated."
I think what the school is saying is that they have children of elves...who are forced to work 365 days out of the year, with no time off...for a fat conservitive who smokes a pipe and wears red all the time. These children would be harmed if anyone came in dress like the "red" man.
Considering the festive atmosphere created here at this school...the answer to this situation is simple. Petition started to rename the school "Santa Claus High School". I'll bet they can get over 75 percent of the local population to sign it and force the school board to consider it. Most of the liberals will be extremely hostile toward this idea...but it fixes the situation real quick.
Santa=Christmas. Christmas=Christ's birthday.
I wonder if the rest of these junior high children wore tuxedos and strapless gowns.
Sniff.....
Leni
What makes you think this is a private school? If it is, then "seperation of church and state" is not even an issue.
isn't there an organization that would be against this, something like the anti-ACLU?
Oops ... my bad.
I relied on one of the previous posts.
The fact that this is a public school does put a different spin on the story. Since it's a public school, we can safely assume that its management is hostile to any religious expression.
His name is Marlin. Keep him in your prayers.
Will do.
Principal Fred Muscara said he told the boy he couldn’t get into the dance because he was wearing the costume.
"It was a holiday party," said Muscara. "It was not a Christmas party. There is a separation of church and state. We have a lot of students that go to Hampton Academy Junior High that have different religions. We have to be sensitive to that."Yep! Thanks for the email link. This principal needs his ar$e
spankedFREEPED, alrighty.
Most liberals have no idea what's in the constitution, have never read the establishment clause, and would argue to the end of time that the "separation" is in the constitution as opposed to being conjured from thin air. As for their intolerance for Christ, they are minions of Satan, as surely as if he had them on a leash.
What amazes me is how all these issues (Christmas, gay marriage, and on and on) are all at once so incredibly important. Ten years ago, no one had a problem with Christmas. Now it's just SO important that it be stamped out. Liberals don't think for themselves. They wait around for someone to tell them what the next major issue is that they should be offended over. As already noted, they're directed by Satan at the core, but he manifests himself through the evil of the liberal machine, controlling the legions as if they're nothing more than mindless drones.
MM
I'll bet Mr. Mascara wouldn't have had a problem if the kid showed up in a turban, or whatever it is they call those things.
ha! :^)
Its a public school folks, and its obvious that the principal and his school board compatriots are just as PC and/or downright dumb as you could imagine. Clearly the principal knows little about history, law, or even Christianity for that matter. How dumb (or PC infected) do you have to be to say that a Santa Claus costume is inappropriate for a "holiday" party -- particularly when they reportedly had someone else dressed as Santa visit the school a couple of days earlier?
Private its not, and we all have the privilege of paying these idiots' salaries.
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