Nebraska Preschool: Deaf Boy’s Name Violates School “Weapons Policy”

By: Rachel Pulaski

Grand Island Public School District in Nebraska, whose slogan is “Every Student, Every Day”, is trying to force a deaf 3 year old preschooler to change his name because it violates their “Weapons in Schools” policy that bans “any instrument … that looks like a weapon”.  The little boy’s name is Hunter.

NY Daily News reported:

The district, in Grand Island, about three hours west of Omaha, has a policy that forbids kids bringing to school “any instrument … that looks like a weapon,” local station KOLN reported.

According to the report, Hunter Spanjer signs his name by crossing his index finger and middle finger and then wagging his hands, which the school says is not appropriate.

“Anybody that I have talked to thinks this is absolutely ridiculous. This is not threatening in any way,” his grandmother, Janet Logue, told KOLN.

“It’s a symbol,” his father, Brian Spanjer, added. “It’s an actual sign, a registered sign, through S.E.E.,” or Signing Exact English, a sign language system.

A school spokesman called the issue a “misunderstanding” and said it had nothing to do with guns or weapons.

The name gesture was “not an appropriate thing to do in school,” and administrators were asking Hunter to spell his name out, letter-by-letter, instead of using the sign, spokesman Jack Sheard told the Daily News.

“We want to do what is best for every student in our district, and we care more about that than everything else,” Sheard said. “We are working with the parents to find the best solution we can.”

Locals think the school should leave the tyke alone.

“It’s his name. It’s not like he’s going to bring a gun to school when he’s 3-years old,” Grand Islander Dana Schwieger fumed.

Feel free to call this ridiculous school board and tell them to leave this child alone!          308-385-5900

 

Thanks for sharing!