Student suspended for dressing like a pirate.

[Black Hearted Pearl]

North Buncombe student suspended for pirate attire

North Buncombe student suspended for pirate attire

by Jordan Schrader

updated March 28, 2007 4:41 pm

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Weaverville – When you’re a pirate, some dangers just come with the territory: scurvy, grog hangovers, a walk down the plank at sword point.

But being kicked out of school for a day?

Bryan Killian doesn’t think that’s a fair reaction to his decision to come to North Buncombe High School wearing an eye patch and an inflatable cutlass.

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North Buncombe High School student Bryan Killian talks about being suspension for wearing his pirate regalia to school. He feels that his freedom of religion and freedom of expression were violated. (2,688 KB)

Pirate returns to school with eye patch in pocket

The official Web site of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

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The sophomore spent today at home after an administrator took issue with his accessories.

Buncombe County Schools says the eye patch was disruptive to classroom instruction. The student’s refusal to take it off after four warnings led to discipline, district spokesman Stan Alleyne said.

“I feel like my First Amendment was violated,” Killian, 16, said. “Freedom of religion and freedom of expression. That’s what I tried to do and I got shot down.”

Freedom of religion?

Yes, Killian says, his “pirate regalia” is part of his faith – the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

The parody religion, whose “Pastafarian” members worship a sentient, airborne clump of noodles and meatballs, originated in a letter to the Kansas school board urging them to add the religion to its plans to teach evolution and intelligent design side by side.

Alleyne said the decision has nothing to do with religion.

Read more in tomorrow's Citizen-Times.

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Contact Jordan Schrader via e-mail at jschrade@gannett.com

[Iron Bess]

Ya know... if'n the whelp had been carry'n hard steel I might have taken an issue with it.

But inflatables?

I suppose it all depends on how stupid he might have been acting in class. If he was....

Then again, he just might have been enjoying the freedom of the feeling of slops!

[TheBlackFox]

How topical (no, not what you use on your rash). . . We have a Flying Spaghetti Monster piece in the lates Pyrates Way. . .no, I didn't tell the kid to do that. . . and the lil' bastard forgot to mention us. . . I wonder if I can get the PayPal money back that I sent h.h h . . uh. . . hay!

nevermind.

[Iron Bess]

ROTBDLMAO!!!!!!!!!

(Nice save!)

[Captain Jim]

The reason he got in trouble was that he carried a plastic, inflatable sword. In other words, a dweeby fake. Had he worn full, accurate pyrate garb he would have been protected by His Gracious Noodly Goodness, priase be to the sauce.

[oderlesseye]

He could have waited fer "Talk like a Pirate day".. Then perhaps his actions could be more defensible... Religion ? Not!.... Freedom of expression? In my opinion yes , however there is a right place and tyme for everything... in the light of appropriateness to learning , and respecting his fellow classmates... A better asault on the establishment would have been all the students wearing eye patches! just kidding..

[Rats]

As a parent and a career law enforcement officer..... Just a few "serious" questions come to mind......

1.) Was his impression PC or PFC???

2.) Was he wearing Bucket Boots or Buckled Shoes??

3.) Was his clothing machine or hand sewn??

4.) Did he say Aaargh or GaaaRR?

5.) Did he say Aaargh enough or way too much??

6.) Did the young seadog swagger (pirate and seaman) or was it more of a swish (J. Sparrow)???

6.) But most importantly... was the young pirate grabbing all the "Booty" he could???

Like I said.... serious!

Rats

BTW: I remember mohawks, flight pants, punk leather, and spiked wrist bands being worn in high school. Not to mention various parts of ones anatomy being pierced...

If nothing else, you gotta give the kid credit for actually showing up to school and not getting his arse kicked!!!

[LongTom]

He could have waited fer "Talk like a Pirate day".. Then perhaps his actions could be more defensible... Religion ? Not!

Presume not to gauge the depths of my piety, O Infidel. Are the Pasta and the Sauce lesser instruments of Divinity than the Wafer and the Wine? Nay, truly, this is my Body, this is my Blood: eat and be made full.

Ramen.

[TheBlackFox]

y'know, we pastafarians believe that heaven has a beer volcano and a stripper factory.

beats 77 virgins or some wings and a harp.

[Rats]

Tell me more about the volcano.... And is there employment available at the factory??

Sinner!

Rats

[LadyBarbossa]

Buncombe County Schools says the eye patch was disruptive to classroom instruction. The student’s refusal to take it off after four warnings led to discipline, district spokesman Stan Alleyne said.

Hmmm...

Honestly, I find this an issue, folks. Not at his fault, but other's fault!

If he was wearing an eye patch and it was disturbing?... was it disturbing to the students or the teacher?

I've seen several people who wear eye patches and as medical conditions. yes, it does attract attention cause of the lore of eye patches.... but must a teacher make a larger deal out of an eye patch??!? I don't think the inflatable was the problem... it sounds like the teacher was making more out of the eye patch that what it really was. No different than a kid coming to school wearing Captain Morgan t-shirt or a piraty belt and sash with a ruffled shirt that's barely piraty. It, a fashion statement and the poor kid was put on a negative spotlight rather than a positive spotlight.

Yes, the teen was violated personally for being treated like horribly!

~Lady B

[Lady Alyx]

Maybe he should join this group at this high school...

Human Rights Club

here is their bloody dress code...pretty vauge ain't it?

policies- look at 468

[PyratePhil]

here is their bloody dress code...pretty vauge ain't it?

policies- look at 468

That's what happens when you subject yourself to others' rule

They keep it purposely vague so their lawyers can defend their $^@ backsides...

[jack sparrow's wife]

gosh, glad i don't go to that school. i dress like a pirate pretty much every ol' day.

[Sir Eric]

I'm sorry folks, but the real issue here is NOT what he wore. No, an eye patch is no big deal, and yes, lot's of people need them for medical reasons. There is no medical reason here, and the kid was asked to remove the patch four times. It doesn't matter why the teacher found it disruptive. Believe me, if you work with kids, you'll find they do some irritating things that are otherwise insignificant, except they cause other kids to loose focus. When your class looses focus, forget it. Just the ripple effect on other kids alone could easily become a classroom distraction.

The teacher has every right to try to control the atmosphere of a classroom. I'm willing to bet the first two requests were pleasant enough, the third one a warning, the fourth an ultimatum, and when the child STILL REFUSED TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS, disciplinary measures were called for. Anybody got kids of their own? How many times do you ask a kid to do something before you become frustrated and find a way to "encourage" the behavior you want to see?

This isn't about a kid who dressed like a pirate, it's about a kid who decided to go push his teacher's buttons and wound up pressing the wrong one. When he got in trouble, he started spouting catch-phrases. Freedom of expression does not cover creating civil disorder, nor does freedom of religion. Sounds to me like the kid was looking to stir the mud in the first place.

[Black Hearted Pearl]

If his religion requires him to dress and act like a pirate, I would have responded with making him scrub the deck for talking back to the Captain of the ship.

I've taught classes with disruptive kids before (mine was one of them). There's nothing like a little pirate talk to get their attention and back on course.

"Get to work, ye scallywags or you'll be scrubbing the deck for sass." Then have a bucket and brush waiting.

[Rumba Rue]

Sir Eric is correct, but so is Blackhearted Pearl.

It really depends on the kids and how the teacher chooses to handle the situation.

[Rats]

Alright Sir Eric!

All BS aside, I have to agree with you! Let's face it, there are "adults" who push buttons and try to get over all day. Then once they get pinched, they either have a sob story or some other excuse....

There's a time and a place for everything.... However when it begins to effect the class or the school, slam em!

Because when it begins to boarder on disrespect and cause a disturbance for other students... I say let him wear his patch during a working detention after school.

BTW: I love the look on their faces when they get caught and actually seem surprised that someone is actually calling them on something!!

Can you say "deer in the headlights"????

"A car??" (too late) Thud!

[AlexRoberts]

My friend went to school Dressed like a pirate he even wore MY shoes and hes like 6'2 and only 11 size men i think its men but still i'm 11-12 and he wore the same shoe i'm tiny compaired to him but still he didn't get in trouble for that.

[PyratePhil]

Because when it begins to boarder on disrespect and cause a disturbance for other students... I say let him wear his patch during a working detention after school.

How does wearing an eye patch disturb other students, let alone an entire school?

Disrespect? The articles I read on this incident only claimed he refused to remove the patch several times "because of his religion". If he is indeed serious and not just yanking chains, that would be like demanding a Christian remove their crucifix necklace, or a Jew their yarmulke.

If he IS yanking chains then yes, he deserves what he gets.

Teachers tend to have hair-triggers these days when their "authority" is questioned, yet without questioning authority this country wouldn't have become what it is. Funny how they demand you fall in line in school while simultaneously teaching about the great "rebels" of the American Revolution, isn't it?

And I'll lay dollars to donuts that at this same school, there's bullying, gambling, sexual harassment and thievery going on daily...but those are TOUGH problems to solve, so let's just turn a blind eye (!) to them and make an example of the trailer-park trash kid, right?

[captjacksparrowsavvvy]

It wasn't the eye patch that caused the disruption per say but the fact that the student refused the teachers request to take it off.

I don't care if the teacher may have had an issue with the eye patch, the student refused the teacher's request. Not once but several times. Too many chances for a 16 year old student!

And of course, we don't know exactly what he did with the inflatable but I have a pretty good guess that he used it in a very inappropriate manner. After all, he is 16...

This has nothing to do with freedom of speech nor the students rights. He has the right to a quality education, not to defy the teacher and basically act like a jerk in front of his classmates.

The lack of respect in todays society is beyond measure. During my childhood, we were seen and not heard. We spoke when spoken to. We used manners. Please and thank you was the rule, not an annoyance. We did as we were told. We didn't answer back.

What do the kids say today? "whatever" this makes me cringe...

"It's not my stuff, I don't have to put it away" or "I didn't take it out"

"Johnny, I need to speak with you followed by the all might question "WHY?" and every question thereafter is followed by "why?"

What has happened? If I said ANYTHING back to my parents we were taken care of promptly.

I have had a 3rd grader have a temper tantrum, actually lying on the floor, and he screamed out "You can't touch me, my parents said so!" and we cannot touch the child. And some need a kick in the ass too.

We can't blame President Bush for this one. I don't know where the respect went and I don't see it coming back in the very near future. Not at all...sad, sad, sad...

[PyratePhil]

Whatever.

Actually, if you're a teacher you know that there ARE some great 16-year-olds out there - it's just that they always seem to be overshadowed by the clowns.

I just don't like to assume anything from media articles because of their tendency to slant things at alarming angles. We don't really KNOW what the teen grub was up to, so we can only speculate here.

Where does the blame lie? How about the parents? They're too busy conquering the world or selling their birthrights on eBay to pay attention to the little scudders. Don't know how old you are, but me, I have an 18yo and an 11yo - both are polite, well-mannered and considerate. Why? I put the fear of Dad into them early on. The fear turned into respect and that turned into mutual advantages.

But then, most kids don't have a Dad whot teaches martial arts.

[Patrick Hand]

But then, most kids don't have a Dad whot teaches martial arts.

Or would go talk to the teacher in Pyrate garb ?......

[LongTom]

Sounds to me like the kid wasn't entirely clear on the concept going into the situation. Religious freedom perhaps, but it still doesn't excuse him infringing on the other students' ability to learn. A Muslim student would not be allowed to whip out a prayer rug and start chanting in the middle of class, and neither is the Pastafarian allowed to create a distraction.

It is not difficult to formulate an argument that the eyepatch is a distraction because all the other students are staring at it instead of at the chalkboard, where their attention belongs. However, that does start verging into a gray area. Does a teacher in, say, Nebraska get to force a Muslim girl to remove her headscarf, because it is foreign to the students and thereby distracting?

[PyratePhil]

Yes, see - that's another point - distractions.

Here is a girl with two heads. She goes to school just like any other kid, talks to her friends, etc. Is that distracting enough? Why don't they just suspend her?

I still maintain that what others do is up to them - not the student. If I were held accountable for every time someone was distracted when they saw me in my gear (martial or pyrate), I'd be spending a lot of time clapping erasers.

We can't be responsible for anyone except ourselves. The sooner a person learns that, the sooner life becomes easier. It's a shame they won't teach useful concepts like THAT in public schools.

But I understand how he "wasn't clear" in his explanations - that I think is the biggest strike against him - makes him sound like just another joker. Maybe he just needs some good PR people