Gun Discrimination

[JohnRich 4]

In the news:

School photo may lead to suit

A High School senior may wind up suing the district after the administration denied his request to use a picture with a trapshooting gun on his shoulder as his yearbook photo...

Seniors are allowed to submit their own photos for the yearbook, sometimes choosing to pose with their musical instruments or cars.

High School Principal James Elefante agreed with the yearbook staff that Douglass’ photo was “inappropriate,” considering the school’s zero-tolerance policy on violence, drugs and alcohol.

Source: The Union Leader

To the rescue:

The National Rifle Association and the Gun Owners of New Hampshire have agreed to support a Londonderry high school senior in a lawsuit, the student's attorney said.

The NRA blamed the district for confusing "the difference between the criminal misuse" of guns and law-abiding citizens' use of them for sports.

"Nobody's saying skeet shooting is a bad thing," he said. "But I think it's a question of appropriateness and venue. If you allow this to happen, you open up a whole series of other possibilities...

The district's nixing of Douglass's yearbook photo is not the first time the school's administrators have disallowed aspects of his hobby on campus. Douglass said assistant principals and teachers took away his gun magazines during a lunch period last year.

Source: Boston.com

[SpeedRacer 1]

this is another example of zero-tolerance hysteria. some people believe that the solution to societies problems means taking refuge in a robotic & mindless adherence to a rule even when it doesn't make any sense.

kinda like that event a few years back where a 12 year old kid was suspended from school for giving a fellow student a cough drop. the principal's explanation: "we are very proud of our zero-tolerance drug policy!"

Speed Racer
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[PhillyKev 0]

That's appalling but not suprising.

This, however, is both.

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“The biggest job I have in the yearbook is reading the senior wills,” he added. “Kids will write something like . . . ‘goodbye high school.’ I always take that sort of thing out.

[quade 4]

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The National Rifle Association and the Gun Owners of New Hampshire have agreed to support a Londonderry high school senior in a lawsuit, the student's attorney said.

Another example of a frivolous lawsuit draining our tax money away from where it's needed.

What a bunch of f'in' jackasses.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Kennedy 0]

Paul, I figured your ACLU supporting butt would be on cboard with this one. I'm all for less lawsuits, but should we just let the administrators break their own policy? The yearbook IS a place for expression, unlike classes and hallways. This is discrimination.

zero tolerance = zero intelligence

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[christelsabine 1]

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The National Rifle Association and the Gun Owners of New Hampshire have agreed to support a Londonderry high school senior in a lawsuit, the student's attorney said.

Another example of a frivolous lawsuit draining our tax money away from where it's needed.

What a bunch of f'in' jackasses


I really do not need any answer on the above, only one as I am toooo curious:

What's about the red star on left side of your Greenie name?

I desperately want to know!

dudeist skydiver # 3105

[PhillyKev 0]

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really do not need any answer on the above, only one as I am toooo curious:

What's about the red star on left side of your Greenie name?

I desperately want to know!

He's been deemed a communist because of his leftie posts. I think I'm next

[crozby 0]

Do you suppose the school would have accepted his picture if it showed him holding up a couple of legally purchased porno DVDs?

Maybe the school is only protecting its image. Maybe there are a whole load of legal items that they wouldn't want associated with their school.

[PhillyKev 0]

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Maybe the school is only protecting its image. Maybe there are a whole load of legal items that they wouldn't want associated with their school.

What would that image be? That they don't support competetive sports? He wasn't holding pornos. He was holding the equivalent of tennis rackets.

[Botellines 0]

Zero-tolerance towards guns means that guns are illegal in the highschool, right? sort of like cocaine...
Would you think it is apropiate that this kid take his picture with one dollar bill rolled up his nose even if he wasn´t snorting cocaine?

[quade 4]

I don't think JohnRich gave us enough information for us to actually make a fully informed opinion on the situation.

I'm working off a few basic & logical assumptions.

I -assume- that there must have been some published guidelines as to the appropriateness of photos for submission. For instance, they might say that nudes are not allowed. It probably also says that photos can be refused for subject matter at the discretion of the editors of the yearbook.

If the photo violates the guideline or if the editors deemed it inappropriate, then, in my opinion, that's the end of it. Suck it up cowboy and move on.

And this -is- what I believe the article says. Maybe I'm wrong but that was my interpretation of it.

For the NRA to get involved is like using a sledge hammer on dog shit. It's probably going to be effective, but messy. Also, like I said, it's going to be expensive for the school to defend itself over something that is clearly just frivolous. Holy crap, it's a freekin' yearbook photo and the kid wasn't allowed to use a photo of him posing with his gun?!? -- get over it.

BTW, I -think- the star means I've either been promoted to sherrif (naww) or has something to do with Premier Membership status.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Kennedy 0]

Cocaine is illegal all over America. Guns are not. Would you say he should not be allowed to be pictured next to his ATV, just because it's not allowed on school grounds?

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[crozby 0]

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What would that image be? That they don't support competetive sports? He wasn't holding pornos. He was holding the equivalent of tennis rackets.

I'm from the UK which is why I'm only asking questions, but I imagine they feel that some parents wouldn't be overly comfortable sending their kid to a school that has gun toting kids featured in its year book.

If the school had a ban on tennis rackets in place I don't suppose it would want those in its year book either.

Do schools in the US operate gun clubs or engage in shooting as a competitive sport?

[Kennedy 0]

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Do schools in the US operate gun clubs or engage in shooting as a competitive sport?

Actually rifle teams were not uncommon to highschools in the recent past. They are disappearing, or alreday gone, from most public schools now, though. Private schools still tend to have them. I was allowed to work with Seton Hall Prep's team, even though I ddn't attend, thanks to connections.

Should all competitive sports not performed on school grounds be banned from photos?

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[christelsabine 1]

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He's been deemed a communist because of his leftie posts. I think I'm next

Wow! Must look cool just in the front of a green "biretta!, right?

Why will you be the next? You did something wrong/right?

dudeist skydiver # 3105

[kallend 2,026]

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Do schools in the US operate gun clubs or engage in shooting as a competitive sport?

Actually rifle teams were not uncommon to highschools in the recent past. They are disappearing, or alreday gone, from most public schools now, though. Private schools still tend to have them. I was allowed to work with Seton Hall Prep's team, even though I ddn't attend, thanks to connections.

Should all competitive sports not performed on school grounds be banned from photos?

We're a university, not a HS, but we had a range at school for years. The reason it was closed down was to comply with environmental law which was the last straw after liability insurance had cost a small fortune. It was nothing to do with an anti-gun policy.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Ron 10]

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I -assume- that there must have been some published guidelines as to the appropriateness of photos for submission. For instance, they might say that nudes are not allowed. It probably also says that photos can be refused for subject matter at the discretion of the editors of the yearbook.

If the photo violates the guideline or if the editors deemed it inappropriate, then, in my opinion, that's the end of it. Suck it up cowboy and move on.

And this -is- what I believe the article says. Maybe I'm wrong but that was my interpretation of it.

For the NRA to get involved is like using a sledge hammer on dog shit. It's probably going to be effective, but messy. Also, like I said, it's going to be expensive for the school to defend itself over something that is clearly just frivolous. Holy crap, it's a freekin' yearbook photo and the kid wasn't allowed to use a photo of him posing with his gun?!? -- get over it.

So you are against legal free speech?

Nothing illegal about a picyure of a gun being used LEGALLY.

The HS is full of shit, and I don't mind the lawsuit.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[Kennedy 0]

And was the team canned all together, or did the school pony up the cash for vans and transportation, the way it does for other clubs and teams?

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[crozby 0]

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Should all competitive sports not performed on school grounds be banned from photos?

Of course not, i was just curious because its taught in private schools in the UK.

I'm just suggesting that the school has made this decision for PR reasons.

If a whole load of guys from the school handed in photo's of them all wearing dresses that'd get banned too. Not because there's anything illegal about it, but just because it's not the message the school wants to send out.

[quade 4]

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So you are against legal free speech?

I think you probably know I'm all for the First Amendment.

That said, I'm pretty sure that high-school yearbook photos can be edited without it being a violation of the First Amendment. Again, it goes back to the stated policy, which I don't believe we have, but can make some reasonable and good assumptions about.

This is not an issue of the First Amendment but rather some jerks getting excited about it's application as it pertains to the Second.

The right to bear arms does not (unless I'm wildly off) include the right to bear arms in high school year book photos if that is a violation of the editorial guidlines.

Lemme ask you this . . . do you think nude photos (of legal age students) would be appropriate submittals for a high school yearbook? Why not? The photos would be perfectly -legal-, but clearly inappropriate. Would keeping them out of the yearbook be a violation of the First Amendment? No, just appropriate editing.

The outcome of this lawsuit will be . . . in my opinion . . . that students will have to pose for "official" photos and that some NRA asswipes, uh, excuse me, lawyers, will have ruined what was a "good thing".

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Ron 10]

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I think you probably know I'm all for the First Amendment.

I personally think you are only for it when it is what you want.

I am for it anyway it goes.

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This is not an issue of the First Amendment but rather some jerks getting excited about it's application as it pertains to the Second.

I think it is a case of some assholes getting upset due to it being a picture of a gun and them getting their panties in a wad over it.

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The right to bear arms does not (unless I'm wildly off) include the right to bear arms in high school year book photos if that is a violation of the editorial guidlines.

No, but the first amendment DOES include that.

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Lemme ask you this . . . do you think nude photos (of legal age students) would be appropriate for a high school yearbook?

No because that would be pornagraphy in a book that is aimed at HS students some of which are under 18.

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The outcome of this lawsuit will be . . . in my opinion . . . that students will have to pose for "official" photos and that some NRA asswipes will have ruined what was a "good thing".

I sort of agree, but I think the good thing will be ruined by a bunch of liberal gun phobe asswipes.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[quade 4]

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I sort of agree, but I think the good thing will be ruined by a bunch of liberal gun phobe asswipes.

Negative. If little-boy-crys-a-lot and his NRA lawyers didn't bring the lawsuit, then the kids would have still been able to submit photos of them with tennis rackets and cars. It's the lawsuit that will stop that, not the appropriate editing of the photos.

Cowboy up folks . . . you can't always get what you want.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[PhillyKev 0]

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not the appropriate editing of the photos.

Why is that editing appropriate?

[quade 4]

Why is it not?

I think we have to assume it's because of local tastes. I'm pretty sure what's appropriate to be edited out of a NYC yearbook is different than that of a yearbook in Branson.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[billvon 2,989]

When I went to school, several yearbook photos were rejected my senior year. One was a shot that had a woman bending over in it. Another had a picture of a guy wearing a shirt that said fuck this-or-that. This wasn't because the teachers running the yearbook were sexist or anti-free-speech. It was because when I went to school, teachers were in charge of what went on at our school, and they didn't like the pictures. If the kid with the fuck shirt had claimed "Hey, I gotta right to free speech!" they would have had a good laugh and then rejected the photo anyway. How times change.