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2nd Grader Given Psych Eval for Drawing Cross On Christmas Is Just Being Concerned & Politically Correct, Right?
Students of a second-grade class at Maxham Elementary (in Massachusetts) were asked by their teacher to draw what Christmas meant to them. Pictures of Santa, reindeer, snowmen, presents, and Christmas trees ensued. But then one student turned in his drawing of something truly horrific….A PICTURE OF A CROSS WITH JESUS ON IT!!!!!! AAAHHHH!!!! (actual picture above)
Can you imagine that a kid would draw a picture of Jesus on Christmas? Doesn’t that stupid kid know Christmas isn’t about Jesus Christ? I mean, just because the word Christmas has Christ in it and is an abbreviation of Christ’s Mass (worship, church service, or any event celebrating the message, story, and birth of Jesus), doesn’t mean it’s about Jesus. Idiot kid!
Now back to reality…
Here’s the kicker: When the teacher saw the picture she reported him. The 8-year-old was immediately sent home and then required to undergo a psychological evaluation. School officials were concerned because he drew a picture that depicted ‘violence’. I just don’t buy it. There must be a small element of prejudice somewhere underneath all this in the heart of someone involved in the process. It just make absolutely no sense–a CROSS on CHRISTmas creates alarm?
Now, technically the kid had the details wrong. Easter celebrates the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, while Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ. This makes me wonder: Would they be okay with a graphic picture of Mary giving birth to Jesus? Is that cool with these school officials, even though it might be slightly gross and inappropriate? Maybe that would elicit a second look–but not being sent home with the bonus psych evaluation. Hmmm. Just wondering. Either way, this kid had the spirit of Christmas right. It’s all about Jesus. GO KID! Do it again, please! And this time add blood. Just joking. If you did, they might drug you and take you away from your parents. Incidentally, I hope his parents file some sort of formal complaint.
This is outrageous!
It is a borderline violation of this kid’s First Amendment rights (free speech and freedom of religion). And it is a glowing example of political correctness gone overboard–like I talk about in 10 Things I Hate About the Holidays. And the truly insidious side to political correctness is that it’s always done under the guise of help, concern, tolerance, and diversity. But the truth is, it is often sanctioned intolerance and forced uniformity. This sure didn’t help anyone. And any reasonable and quick common sense assessment of the situation would surely reveal a lack of concern for the child and his family. Is this what it means to be at the height of civilization in the Western world?
I also have to take this to the next level. Could there ever come a day when this is be made illegal? Could a group of radical officials or justices ban parents from teaching children about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus? Sure, it involves torture and death–but that turns out to be a good thing because the process grants sinners (I know that’s a very traditional word, but that’s how the story goes) forgiveness (that’s what we Christians believe)? Even though it was a terrible situation, it yielded something beautiful. Or as I say in my book, “…after all the horror, there was, and is, beauty.”
Taking it even further, could a group of justices ever ban parents from teaching their children about God? You know, since there is no ‘scientific’ evidence to show it to be true–and we certainly can’t teach our children anything that cannot be empirically tested and proven. No sky fairies with magic powers for kids of stupid superstitious half-witted parents like me. After all, it’s ‘cruel and abusive’ (it would be framed in a context like that, I’m sure). Only a monkey being your uncle, fossil fuels coming from dead dinosaurs, and, for the occasional fun because kids need fun, the cursory fat guy delivering presents to children all around the world at exactly midnight in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer through some type of time vortex. Only facts (or facts that are actual, theoretical, or fun) are acceptable in this age or reason, enlightenment, and breakthroughs, right?
I know plenty of people who think teaching kids about God should be illegal, even though they are all about ‘freedom’, ‘choice’, and ‘equal rights’. They blog about me frequently. So, only certain ideas can be chosen to be free? That’s equality? Irony cannot begin to describe confusion like this.
Anyway, I just wanted to bring this issue to light. And I ask, what do you think?
And by the way, Merry Jesus-on-a-cross Christmas!
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Crazy! What is the world coming to?
You’ve got to be kidding. What is the world coming to.
Hmmm…
Hmmm…
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A very nice read. Christmas is not just about Santa or gift giving. I believe the kid who draw the cross has religious inclination – which is really good. I really think there is nothing wrong on how that child perceives Christmas – after all, Jesus was born on that day right?
If you were once a child who was frequently told you are not good enough, you may bring that thought with you in your subconscious, and that might affect the way you take action on your goals today. Indeed, your thoughts are powerful.
I almost wish it was you, Chip. I think there comes a point that a hard stand has to be taken in order to spare other children from such stupidity.
Of course, no one is going to comment or apologize. What would you expect from big government? There’s just no accountability.
I understand fully what the wiseemn brought and what it symbolized. Thank you for adding that. I was just trying to add a little humor to an otherwise sad and very frustrating situation.
Thank for the thoughts…
That school district would *not* have liked it if I had been that kid’s parent.
The school administrators would be undergoing a psych evaluation before my child does – and the school would have been facing a lawsuit for discrimination, violation of First Amendment rights, and the humiliation, trauma, and mental anguish suffered by my child as a result of this occurrence.
It is this sort of crap that is making us seriously consider home-schooling. (Not to mention, the vending machines in the schools here in Missouri from which our students can conveniently purchase notebooks emblazoned with the Obama logo and “Change You Can Believe In”.)
Oh, and by the way, I wouldn’t say that the kid had the details wrong. The Magi who came to worship the Christ Child brought with them gifts of frankincense, gold, and myrrh: symbolic of Christ’s deity AND his death. Jesus was born a man in order to die, and for no other (or, at least, no more important) reason.
Oh, and did you notice in the story: the “all-powerful” school principal, who was brave enough to send an 8-year-old little boy home from school for drawing Jesus on the Cross was too gutless to talk to reporters about the incident, instead directing inquiries to the Superintendent (who, unsurprisingly, stone-walled)?
(Continued from previous comment)
If you think a kid has issues with violence, get to know the kid and find out. That’s not rocket science. It just takes a combination of compassion, common sense, and willingness to do some work that is becoming increasingly rare in society. Is a kid being a bully? Find out if he’s being beaten up at home (duh!) – but don’t assume it – there might be other reasons. (double duh!) If a kid posts a hit list on a website, it can mean a lot of things. In my experience it usually means that the kid has issues with those on the list, and a lot of anger. I wouldn’t start to worry about overt acts unless the kid also had access to weapons. However, that’s not to sat that the kid is all right. Anybody who posts a hit list is not all right. But they may just need to be listened to more. Like, maybe a sympathetic contact with a fellow human outside of instutional contexts and prescribed procedures.
Ironically, if the Church functioned as what it is supposed to be, it would be the ideal context for such support.
Bottom line, people have lost their ability to trust their fellow humans and are placing their trust in laws and procedures. You might imagine the time when educational decisions, legal decisions, and parenting decisions are all made by computer – the logical and impartial servant. That would give “blue screen of death” a whole new meaning 🙁
Point of curiousity. Is a pastor a “legally mandated reporter” in the context of child abuse?
-Steve
This is an interesting one, because there is a lot to explore on both sides. To be provocative and also truthful, I wouldn’t have minded seeing Mel Gibson getting eveluated after he did Passion of the Christ. I avoided seeing it, because I felt that regardless of its stated intent, what it actually accomplished was a glorification of violence. Certainly the level of violence depicted was factual. But I think that to focus on the physical torture of the Crucifixion sends the wrong spiritual message. I know many theologians would disagree with me, but “that’as my story and I’m stickin’ to it” 🙂
Now as to the kid. I’m betting that he’s probably in or near the Catholic tradition. Those guys show Jesus on their Crosses, as distinct from the Protestant tradition of the empty Cross. So, as a Catholic kid, he might be used to thinking that’s just what a cross in church looks like.
Now about the response. If the officials who sent the kid for evaluation are unfamiliar with Christian imagery, as more and more are in the growing context of secularism, they might have been kegitimately surprised by the image. Or, they might be hostile to religion, and be acting out of their own belief that the image of Jesus on the Cross shows Christianity to be violent at its core (a notion that Passion of the Christ did little to dispell).
As to your counterexample, I’d be for evaluating a kid who did an anatonomically correct depiction of the birth of Jesus. Such imagery is not part of any CHristian tradion that I’m familiar with, and you have to wonder where a kid would pick it up (sex ed, maybe? 🙂 A better question is whether they would bave been okay with a manger scsne.
Now, all that being said, I’m concerned about the ridiculous things that have gone on with school security in the wake of 9/11, Columbine, etc. The lunatics have taken over the society. The new threat to our security is gradeschoolers in possesion of ibupropen and nail clippers.
Violence is part of life. Depictions of violence have their place. Even sick and inappropriate depictions of violence are protected by our laws, unless they occur in a context of sexual activities with minors.
The question of how to deal with violence in the schools is difficult. However, the authorities have chosen to address it in the most simple-minded fashion. They think setting down a set of rules about what expressions of violence, or tools of violence are permissible, forbidden, or suspicious and then enforcing those rules will solve something. Totally wrong. This is the kind of legalism Jesus spoke out against throughout his ministry!
(Comment is nearing limit – will be continued)
Very funny, as always. Good thoughts.
I wonder, to play Devil’s advocate and stir the pot a bit. Let’s say a kid had drawn santa claus whipping his nine reindeer. Would that be considered violence? Or to the tree huggers, showing a guy chopping down a pine tree for christmas? Society has clearly lost all common sense.