ZOMFG, like for real!
    
   School tells youth to drop sword



A 17-year-old US student who enjoys re-enacting medieval battles has been banned from wielding his favourite sword in his graduation yearbook.

Portsmouth High School in the US state of Rhode Island has asked Patrick Agin to submit a new photo after he first posed in full chainmail and armour.

The school rejected the photo, saying it contravened a strict zero-tolerance policy on weapons.

In response, the Agin family is suing the school for restricting free speech.

Patrick Agin picked up the medieval battle habit from his mother, Heidi Farrington, who makes and sells period clothing.

Civil liberties

The student's interest in the battles of a bygone era has grown along with his knowledge of the textile techniques of the middle ages.

As well as regular bouts of sword-fighting and medieval feasting, Patrick and thousands of others across the US stage learn oft-forgotten arts and crafts and stage large-scale re-enactments of major historical events.

   
I don't see our action as discouraging anyone's hobby
Robert Littlefield
Principal, Portsmouth High School

Tamara Griggs, of the 35,000-member Society for Creative Anachronism, said the student's decision to pose in full costume was perfectly understandable.

"It's no different from wanting to appear in a Boy Scout uniform," she said.

But the principal of Portsmouth High School, Robert Littlefield, said the flagrant wielding of a potentially lethal weapon was a clear violation of school regulations.

"I don't see our action as discouraging anyone's hobby," he said.

But he added: "I don't see our yearbook as a vehicle where we guarantee everyone an opportunity to broadcast their hobby to our audience."

Legal organisation the American Civil Liberties Union has taken up Patrick's case, filing a lawsuit in a federal court in December, the Associated Press reports.

Okay, 'fess up! Whose game group is this guy in?

Share your own stories of Geeks Being Oppressedorz!

He's got precedent.  If Barbara Adams is allowed to be a juror in her Star Trek uniform, he should be allowed to take his Senior Picture in medieval garb.

If they dissallow this on the grounds of "No weapons in school", that's going to open up a whole Pandora's Box of things not allowed in the yearbook...

How many other people had Monty Python in their head?  C'mon...admit it.  In your head you were screaming "I'm being oppressed!"

Fuck, geeks can be utter idiots sometimes.

They should let him put up that pic, but include the caption under it: "voted most likely to be a 45 year old virgin".

RPGPundit

You can't complain about restriction of your freedom of speech in a school publication. It's their publication, which means they're allowed to decide what they will or will not allow in it.

Quote from: RPGPunditFuck, geeks can be utter idiots sometimes.

They should let him put up that pic, but include the caption under it: "voted most likely to be a 45 year old virgin".

RPGPundit

Oh blow it out your ass. All you ever fucking do is bust on people. Christ, is that why you moved to uraguay, because everyone in england was looking to pop you in the mouth?

Quote from: Dominus NoxOh blow it out your ass. All you ever fucking do is bust on people. Christ, is that why you moved to uraguay, because everyone in england was looking to pop you in the mouth?

You know we Uruguayans have a saying for people like you, it goes: Defensor de los pleitos perdidos.
It means someone who always wants to get into arguments to defend a lost cause.
It's Republica Oriental del Uruguay you ignorant bastard!!!

Only Homer is allowed to say uraguay

Quote from: Dominus NoxOh blow it out your ass. All you ever fucking do is bust on people. Christ, is that why you moved to uraguay, because everyone in england was looking to pop you in the mouth?

He's from Canada. If you read more than you posted, you'd know that.

Quote from: RPGPunditThey should let him put up that pic, but include the caption under it: "voted most likely to be a 45 year old virgin".

If he's SCA, the chances of him still being a virgin are slim to negligable

Incidentally, there's a detail in the picture that show's he's a "proper" reenactor.  Anyone want to tell me what it is?

The belt-knot?

BTW, why should he be allowed a sword, and a hunter would be disallowed to brandish his beloved double-barelled shotgun?
Isn´t there ROTC programs at high-school?
Are they allowed to wear uniform and M-16 on hteri yearbook photograph?

Really strange.

Quote from: SettembriniThe belt-knot?

The tankard actually

(though the authentic-looking belt knot is a nice touch)

Quote from: JimBobOzHe's from Canada. If you read more than you posted, you'd know that.

Same thing.
We just use the canadians as a buffer zone around the Americans and to surround Quebec.

OK.  As I understand it...

The kid had his picture taken off-campus by an outside source.

Now the school is saying that the picture can't go into the yearbook because of a restriction on weapons in school.  That's what I'm guessing, unless the school has a code that no media in possession of a student can have any depiction of a weapon.

It would be interesting to see the guidelines laid out for what is permissible in the pictures.

On the one hand, the school is publishing the yearbook, so they have a say over its content.

On the other hand, they're not asking for photos taken in the school.  So in-school guidelines should not apply.  

It should depend on what guidelines they set down for the photos in the first place.  If there was some wording like: "All students must be depicted in clothing meeting the student dress code and in accordance with campus rules." then the kid doesn't have a leg to stand on.

Quote from: JimBobOzHe's from Canada. If you read more than you posted, you'd know that.

Yup, though I did live in England for a while; but there's no way Nox could have known that.

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPunditThey should let him put up that pic, but include the caption under it: "voted most likely to be a 45 year old virgin".

As a friend of mine is fond of saying, "If you can't get laid in the SCA, then there's REALLY something wrong with you." (sometimes he substitutes GenCon for SCA).

Getting laid isn't a problem for geeks. That's a myth that really should be put to rest.