2nd Grade Girl Suspended from School for Saying 'Hell'

[CrimsonTide4]

Girl Suspended from School for Saying 'Hell'
Thu Feb 5, 7:46 AM ET Add Oddly Enough - Reuters to My Yahoo!



PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A second-grade girl from Pittsburgh was suspended this week from her public elementary school for saying the word "hell" to a boy in her class.



But 7-year-old Brandy McKenith says she was only warning the boy about the eternal comeuppance he could face for saying: "I swear to God."


"I said, 'You're going to go to hell for swearing to God,'" Brandy was quoted as saying in an article that appeared on the Web site of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review on Wednesday.


School officials were unavailable for comment. A Pittsburgh Public Schools spokeswoman told the newspaper that the student code prohibits profanity but does not provide a clear definition of what profanity is.


The girl's parents, who said they believed their daughter's version of the story, were flabbergasted by the suspension and complained to the school principal.


"Kids are bringing guns and knives to school. ... They've got dope. And we're worried about 'hell'?" said her father, Wayne McKenith.


Meanwhile, the incident drew the attention of civil liberties experts as far away as New York.


"There was no threat and the word was being used in its intended way, not in a vulgar manner," civil liberties attorney Christopher Murray said in a statement distributed by his New York law firm.

I went to a Catholic school but I only got my mouth washed out with soap for saying the EFF word.

[33girl]

Yep, this is right down the street from my old neighborhood.

I think she should have gone for broke and told him "**** off and eat **** you stupid ************."

[blackerican]

With the way that children today are using profanity (just watch a episode of Maury w/ those "out of control" kids) and they're worried about the word "hell"???!!! And she didn't even use it as a curse word!!!!!

[tld221]

thats pretty appaling. there is a lot worse going on with grade school students as it is, and you want to cause a ruckus over 'hell'? man, please. go find a robbery or drug bust or something to report about. becuase while this girl is being suspended for saying 'hell' theres another boy or girl commiting more serious crimes, being victims of crimes, that deserve disiplinary action.

if anything, she should be praised (for a lack of a better word) for having christian faith instilled and in her belief at such a young age.

[Strive]

Originally posted by CrimsonTide4
Girl Suspended from School for Saying 'Hell'
Thu Feb 5, 7:46 AM ET Add Oddly Enough - Reuters to My Yahoo!

"I said, 'You're going to go to hell for swearing to God,'" Brandy was quoted as saying in an article that appeared on the Web site of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review on Wednesday.

So the child says the teacher swears. The child is lieing. I worked with kids. When they get in trouble, they would change their story around to benefit them.

The girl's parents, who said they believed their daughter's version of the story, were flabbergasted by the suspension and complained to the school principal.

Their daugher, like my son, can do no wrong.
Children act differently when they are not with their parents.

[James]

Even if the child tells someone to go to hell . . you probably shouldn't suspend them. Whats the point of that?

[aephi alum]

Well, the kid may or may not be lying. If the kid is telling the truth, the suspension is unwarranted and ridiculous. If the kid is lying, I still think a suspension is a bit extreme. Maybe detention, or requiring her to write an essay on why it's wrong to swear, or something along those lines would be more appropriate.

I went to Catholic school, and in religion class we sometimes discussed hell. Can you imagine suspending the entire fourth grade because we were discussing hell in class? If the girl is telling the truth, it's the same sort of thing - she was admonishing the boy for swearing to God, and should be praised, not punished.

[Strive]

Profanity like fighting is against school rules. If you let the small offenses slide, then kids will "try you" on the bigger offenses.

Profanity causes disruptive conduct which leads to unruly behavior. Unruly behavior breaks down the learning process.

[Honeykiss1974]

Brandy should not be suspended. Hell is a place and she used it in that context when she said 'You're going to go to hell for swearing to God'.

If Brady told the boy something like "You go to h*ll" or "h*ll no!" or used it in a profane manner, then she was wrong in this situation.

In either situation though, whether she said it as a curse word or as the name of a place, suspension is too much. The teacher could have just pulled her aside and explain to her why she shouldn't use such language (or if she must be punished, make her miss recess for a week).

Ahhh, what happened to the days of good 'ol corporal punishment.

[Love_Spell_6]

Originally posted by Strive
Profanity like fighting is against school rules. If you let the small offenses slide, then kids will "try you" on the bigger offenses.

Profanity causes disruptive conduct which leads to unruly behavior. Unruly behavior breaks down the learning process.

I agree Strive...I think its funny when the little things happen...people always say...we should be worried about something bigger i.e. the SUper Bowl halftime drama...but I really think its the little things that are killing us softly.

I think parents should be teaching their kids that if they violate the rules or do something wrong, then they need to pay the consequences....instead of always trying to take up for them and get them out of being punished. It teaches kids at an early age to disrespect rules and authority.