August 30, 2009

Another 1A test?

Band shirts hit wrong note with parents is the title to the August 28th Sedalia Democrat story about an interesting T-shirt (see photo) printed and worn by some Smith-Cotton high school band members. As the story states, “T-shirts worn by the Smith-Cotton High School band have evolved into controversy”.

Cute.

The shirts, a promotion for “Brass Evolutions 2009,” were designed by the band director, an assistant, and a local graphic artist. They were intended to promote the band’s fall program by highlighting the evolution of brass instruments from the 1960’s to modern day. They were debuted in the Missouri State Fair parade, and the complaints immediately started rolling in. So much so that school Assistant Superintendent Brad Pollitt banned the shirts.

I made the decision to have the band members turn the shirts in after several concerned parents brought the shirts to my attention,” Pollitt said. He further said that the district is required by law to remain neutral where religion is concerned. “If the shirts had said ‘Brass Resurrections’ and had a picture of Jesus on the cross, we would have done the same thing.”

A woman named Melby, the parent of a student and a teacher at the school, said, “I was disappointed with the image on the shirt.” ... “I don’t think evolution should be associated with our school.”

Really? Science shouldn't be associated with the school? So is the next move the banning of discussion of physics? Astronomy? Cell biology? What does evolution have to do with a school prohibition of things religious?

Although unlikely, this one needs to be looked at carefully by the courts.

H/T Jerry

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1 Comments:

Rogue Medic said...

“I made the decision to have the band members turn the shirts in after several concerned parents brought the shirts to my attention,” Pollitt said. He further said that the district is required by law to remain neutral where religion is concerned.


Why is it that only the Creationists see this as religion?

Science is not religion.

Choosing to remain ignorant of science is just ignorance. It is only religion to those, who choose a literal misinterpretation of the Bible.

Should Muslims throw a hissy fit if women come to school without wearing burkhas? Using the logic of Assistant Superintendent Brad Pollitt, Muslims should be able to have burkha-less women banned as some kind of religious statement.