If there was ever a time to draw that proverbial line in the sand, it should be done now, with Jason Laguna’s rosary.
Ninth grader Jason was the victim of an unwritten policy; the former Altar boy was suspended for taking his rosary to school. According to the Principal, his rosary “endangered the safety, health, morals or welfare of himself or others.”
Jason Laguna is a former altar boy and proud Catholic. He got his rosary beads as a gift, thinks they look cool and sometimes wears them under his shirt at school. But last Friday, right before dismissal, he pulled them out on his way out. He was given a one-day suspension from Fieldstone Secondary School.
His mother calls the punishment extreme, considering the 14-year-old is a member of student government and, according to his last report card, “is a pleasure to have in class.” Laguna says she was told the school has an unwritten policy regarding beads because they could be used to show gang affiliation. The principal claims it was insubordination, saying Laguna’s actions, “endangered the safety, health, morals or welfare of himself or others.” Jason was supposed to stay home Friday, but late Thursday the district superintendent put that on hold pending further investigation. It may not be divine intervention, but his mother has contacted the American Civil Liberties Union as she continues to fight the suspension.
Jason’s mother putting out an S.O.S. to the ACLU is a move laced with irony….
24. May 2010 at 2:02 pm
We shall see if the ACLU takes the school on for this one…
24. May 2010 at 2:03 pm
I really can’t see that happening.
24. May 2010 at 2:35 pm
I really don’t know what to think on this one… The kid doesn’t strike me as being on the level, and wherever I’ve been, WEARING a rosary has been seen as either ignorant or mildly offensive. I’ve seen them worn by gang members (predominantly Hispanic), and it’s use as an adornment is clearly a “symbol” that has nothing at all to do with a devotion to the Holy Rosary.
In the video I saw, the kid’s rosary doesn’t even look like it’s intact – it’s either stretched out or flat missing a bunch of beads – not a ‘functional’ rosary at all.
It seems to me that the Rosary in this case is being misused TWICE. Once when the kid was wearing it for whatever reason of notoriety, and again in this very public issue.
On the latter, I do think it’s an important line in the sand – but I fear that if he’s found to be lying about his devotion, it will bury the cause and perhaps do more damage to an individual’s right to practice this sacred devotion by banning rosaries completely in public schools.
24. May 2010 at 2:53 pm
I like your take on this one, Bitterroot!
I have worn one of my rosaries, also under my clothes… and not just in times of stress. It may not be kosher for most Catholics – I’ve no idea – but when so many prayers are said over so many years just having them near is a constant reminder and solace.
Maybe for that reason I overreacted. A bit.
24. May 2010 at 3:24 pm
Think nothing of it – I know there ARE parishes / dioceseseses where it has even been promoted by the bishops. It’s just not the way I was brought up.
Personally, I’ve worn out at least two rosary cases and I have a “car” rosary that usually hangs from the rearview mirror (perfect for long, monotonous drives or when you’re suddenly stuck in “parking lot” traffic). It is a comfort keeping a rosary near.
24. May 2010 at 3:29 pm
24. May 2010 at 2:52 pm
One possible issue I see here is the argument that if they allow rosary beads, then they have to allow all sorts of questionable items in the name of religious freedom. That right there opens a huge legal can of worms. A lame copout, I know, but what will the Muslims start bringing in next?
And I’m not Catholic so I don’t know how they might handle this, but I would counsel the boy that sacred religious items should be treated and used with reverent and respectful intent and not worn or shown off because he thinks they look cool. At least that’s what my faith teaches me.
My first reaction when I first read this article was the same as yours: righteous anger and indignation. But I’d like to see more details about this before passing judgment. Because the truth may be that he mouthed off or popped an attitude with the teachers when asked to put them away, which may be the real reason he’s in trouble. And as many times as the schools have been wrong in cases like these, sometimes there’s more to the story that the news isn’t sharing.
I do hope there’s more to the story. Because I’ve about had it with public education and zero tolerance.
24. May 2010 at 2:57 pm
And I agree wholeheartedly with BR’s comment (who’s post I didn’t see before I posted mine). Misusing a sacred religious item only serves to demean and hurt the whole cause of religious freedom. I just hope the boy was sincere and just misguided in his zeal, not a total phony.
24. May 2010 at 2:57 pm
You’re exactly right, Dave. The truth is usually buried somewhere in the story… but did we hear it?
Many different religions utilize prayer beads. From wiki:
Roman Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Bahá’í Faith.
24. May 2010 at 3:33 pm
I’m an ordained minister in the Church of the Disciples of Holy Armalite. I have to carry this AR-10 with me at all times as a symbol of my faith and devotion to the Prophet Eugene Stoner.
24. May 2010 at 4:41 pm
…not just a layman, eh?
24. May 2010 at 5:49 pm
Tagging onto BR’s posts, if this kid was really an alter boy and felt “religious” enough to want to wear them then he really should have known better.
Right from when I first started Catichism I knew one never wore rosary beads, they are basically for saying the rosary but never ever to be worn. He had to have known this so why did he go against teachings if he was so “into” being a catholic and wanted to show it.
24. May 2010 at 6:33 pm
Well, I’m as sacrilegious as they come, I guess.
I don’t know the truth, but as BR wrote:
25. May 2010 at 9:29 am
Wait a minute…when did I fall down the rabbit hole?!
A kid, who chooses to express his religious freedom not by PRAYING IN SCHOOL (as should be done!) but by wearing his rosary that he received as a gift and (shocker) actually likes is suspended for a day because it’s viewed as a threat?!
If the great minds that are the school board decide that they must ban the wearing of a rosary…then they’ll have to make the move across the board for ALL RELIGIOUS iconography, clothing and materials. That will include any cross necklaces that may be worn. That will include any veils or headcover by any Muslim girls. That will include any WWJD bracelets. That will cover more than a mere rosary. Are they really going to put that much thought in to it and face the wrath of parents and religious leaders for this assinine decision? Doubtful.
And I won’t even get started about the ACLU…the mere thought of them raises my blood pressure too high. But f**k the ACLU-LESS.
25. May 2010 at 10:00 am
That was pretty much my knee jerk reaction… and frankly, still is…
If they deem that the rosary is not allowed, then as you say, all religious items should be banned. The resulting schoolyard would be a vast wasteland – in more ways than one.
25. May 2010 at 12:30 pm
RTY mentioned changes to the school dress code recently included rosaries being forbidden. She said, “not that I know why anyone would want to wear them.”
She’s raised pseduo-catholic (ie, goes to church for holidays, but mom couldn’t even handle the structure beyond 2 or 3 of her holy communion classes, so she hasn’t done that, either). I’m not catholic and will refrain from comment.
25. May 2010 at 12:34 pm
You can say whatever you think, WB. We’re all entitled to our opinions.
Last I looked it was still a free country. ‘Course, that could have changed in the last few minutes…
25. May 2010 at 12:31 pm
except to say if a child breaks dress code, isn’t there usually a 1st offense warning before suspension?
25. May 2010 at 12:33 pm
I would think so…
26. May 2010 at 8:47 pm
As long as he’s not forcing others to join him in prayer, what’s the big deal?
It’s not like he went into school demanding a wailing wall or something. Hell, if he’d done that, the school district would have bent over backwards to accommodate him.
27. May 2010 at 8:12 am
Reminds me of a Seinfeld episode: ‘He took it out…’
That’s all he did.
No, Jews don’t demand personal prayer spaces; that’s Muslims. They ask for and sometimes receive access to areas where they can pray 5 times a day.