Awww come on now Rhode island...You really want to ban this?
 

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PROVIDENCE — Christan Morales said her son just wanted to honor American troops when he wore a hat to school decorated with an American flag and small plastic Army figures.

But the school banned the hat because it ran afoul of the district’s zero-tolerance weapons policy. Why? The toy soldiers were carrying tiny guns.

“His teacher called and said it wasn’t appropriate,’’ Morales said.

Morales’s son, David, 8, had been assigned to make a hat for the day when his second-grade class would meet their pen pals from another school. She and her son came up with an idea to add patriotic decorations to a camouflage hat.

Earlier this week, after the hat was banned, the principal at the Tiogue School in Coventry told the family that the hat would be fine if David replaced the Army men holding weapons with ones that did not have any, according to Superintendent Kenneth R. Di Pietro.

But, Morales said, the family had only one Army figure without a weapon (he was carrying binoculars), so David wore a plain baseball cap on the day of the pen pal meeting.

“Nothing was being done to limit patriotism, creativity, other than find an alternative to a weapon,’’ Di Pietro said.

The district does not allow images of weapons or drugs on clothing. For example, a student would not be permitted to wear a shirt with a picture of a marijuana leaf on it, the superintendent said.

The principal “wasn’t denying the patriotism,’’ Di Pietro said. “That just is the wrong and unfair image of one of our finest principals.’’

Yesterday, Di Pietro and the principal met with the retired commander of the Rhode Island National Guard at the commander’s request.

Lieutenant General Reginald Centracchio praised the school system for supporting the military in the past, including with a junior ROTC program.

But he said he disagreed with the decision to ban the hat and hoped it offered a chance for the school to review its policies.

“The American soldier is armed. That’s why they’re called the armed forces,’’ he said. “If you’re going to portray it any other way, you miss the point.’’

He said he intends to give David a medal to express veterans’ appreciation that he would pay tribute to their service.

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...and he got it too...

They suspended him? I thought they just had him wear a plain ball cap. Also...is it bad if I kind of think it's for the kid's own good? Army guys on a hat with a flag does not a patriotic hat make, it's just kind of silly looking.

Ummm...what the hell is the world coming to? I weap for the future and the children who grew up during these bullshit zero tolerance times. A papercut is going to be considered traumatic for them.

I mean I understand that they have 'zero tolerance' rule from having images of weapons portrayed but seriously?????

I think they're usually just protecting their asses from other parents and the lawyers. But, I still maintain the kid looks silly.

Then let him...he's only in the 2nd grade...hehehe

Hey, his mom helped him! I sense a serious lack of taste in the family! (For reals the whole debate is silly, i think zero tolerance rules are silly, but no child should have pictures of him in that hat to exist even 10 years later!)

When zero tolerance rules are enacted, it's an admission that the district thinks their administrators are complete and utter failures as human beings, but lack the cojones to properly deal with them. Bureaucracy at its finest.

Where have all the cowboys gone tooooooooooo???

Now, I'd understand suspending him for running afoul of the Fashion Police, but for bringing guns to school?! You've got to be kidding me?! Can you be suspended for drawing a gun on a piece of paper?

Still, he's in second grade and it was sort of for a project. In 10 years, he'd look back on that picture and smile--personally, I would. Sure the hat is tacky and I would never wear it, but I don't see anything wrong with that kid wearing it.

And the fact that it was dealt with in this manner is stupid. I totally agree with Kevin.

I am not understanding why people missed that part. My school also had "hat day" when I was his age.

I don't find it tacky.

We weren't allowed to wear hats at all inside the classroom.

Personally, I find it tacky in the fact that I wouldn't wear it on a normal day...

If I had the same project (in any grade, honestly), you better believe I would have streamers and fireworks and whatever other patriotic thing I could think of and I'd be happy with it. Depending on the age, I'm sure my mother would help me and let me run with my idea as much as possible.

Letting your imagination run wild is one of the best parts of being a kid. :)

ETA: Same here. We weren't allowed to wear hats inside of any building. I still can't wear a hat in my parents' house. :P I think this day may have been an exception, though... not sure.