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CLAYTON A Clayton High School freshman twice suspended because of her nose piercing says officials aren't respecting her little-known religion, which encourages piercings and tattoos.
Ariana Iacono, 14, was suspended from Clayton High for one day Wednesday when she refused to remove the small peridot stud in her nose.
BS. Everything becomes "spiritual" when it means you can skirt the rules and do whatever you damn well please. At some point it will be so ridiculous that the whole idea of religious freedom will become suspect.
The "Church of Body Modifications" sounds pretty weird, but I think it's ridiculous that a public school (I'm assuming this is public) won't allow someone to wear a tiny stud in the nose. The "religion" sounds pretty bogus, though. Still, it doesn't negatively impact anyone if she has one, and I wish she was fighting to get the entire policy tossed out, rather than pursuing this religious argument.
I agree with the school on this one. It is the jewelry that violates the school code, not the piercing. She can get pierced all she wants, according to her faith or otherwise, but she has to take out the hardware before she goes to school in the morning.
By the way, the school code seems very poorly written. It specified five facial areas where studs are not permitted, but the girl could have her chin or her forehead pierced and wear studs there, and be in conformity with a rule that only prohibits "jewelry on the nose, tongue, lips, cheek or eyebrow". She could put a Frankenstein-like bolt in her neck, and be in compliance.
Furthermore, the dictionary (and probably legal) definition of "jewelry" specifies articles worn "for personal adornment". If a stud is inserted into a piercing for the purpose of preventing the piercing from closing over, that is a purpose other than personal adornment. A wedding ring, for example, is not worn for 'personal adornment', but to designate a legal status. A crucifix is not worn for 'personal adornment', but for religious reasons and many Christians believe they are commanded to wear it as an article of faith.
I think if the girl wore a stud whose visible part was a representation of a Christian cross, or a Star of David, the school would be on very shaky ground including it as an article prohibited by the dress code. She could replace her generic stud with one of a Christian Cross, and I bet she'd be let back into school, since I doubt if her disfigurement faith is at odds with or denies Christianity.
I would rewrite the dress code to say "Students with visible piercings may not place objects in the piercings while at school, except one in each earlobe". That would cover all bases.
Last edited by jtur88; 09-13-2010 at 09:13 AM..
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