High school student insists his rosary beads aren't gang-related

He was suspended for five days, accused of wearing a rosary as a gang accessory. "My godfather gave it to me as a gift," he says. "I want to wear my rosary because I am proud of it because I am religious." (KSDK.com)

Comments

[Phranqlin]

As a veteran of Catholic school, I can unequivocally state that if anyone -- boy or girl -- ever wore their rosary as a necklace like this kid did, they too would have been hustled to the principal's office. Not for wearing a "gang symbol," but for showing disrespect to the Blessed Mother by treating your rosary as common jewelry. Rosary beads were supposed to be carried in your pocket or purse, not worn around your neck, and brought out only when you were actually praying. Medals were likewise supposed to be tucked inside your clothing, although they could be seen at the open collar of your shirt. Crosses were OK for display, although IIRC they were mostly popular among girls.

[Me]

Hello?? Farmer Bob??

[American Veteran]

Eye conno take thees keed's side because I don spic spaneesh

[woodlawn]

He's openly claiming adherence to a right-wing wacko pedophile cult. Double the suspension.

[txguy]

Yeah, what Phranqlin said. Religious people don't wear rosaries. It's as weird as wearing your car keys on your neck.

[Tom Weidermeijer]

Define 'gang'.

[kestrelmas]

What Phranqlin said... I have my mom's rosary hanging in my room, NEVER to be worn. I may be a recovering Catholic, but I don't disrespect the traditions.

[Farmer Bob and the City]

Sterilize him.

[stevenvictx]

Hes going to hell,and not just any hell either, Catholic hell.....

[JimD]

Yeah- I agree. As I read the article I thought "wow - I used to get ripped a new one for treating my rosary as a necklace." As in I only did that twice- once out of ignorance and again to test some boundaries :)
If he's religious he's not being taught how to be a good Christian... but at least he's not in a gang.

[Farmer Bob and the City]

"...but at least he's not in a gang."

Hello, he already admitted he was in a gang, the Catholic gang.

[Chrysos]

You'd think that if wearing rosary beads (whether or not it's appropriate as a christian nutcase) is gang related the school would be able to show the documentation of a gang that wears them. Otherwise...it seems like the school can unilaterally decide ANYTHING is gang related and, therefore, banned.

[Phranqlin]

Also, this reminds me of when the school district in Mississippi declared the Star of David to be a gang symbol and suspended a Jewish kid for wearing one to class.

[twerp]

I'm not even Catholic but I know that rosaries aren't jewelry!

Phranq, that doesn't surprise me about Mississippi. Mississippi is the most inbred, racist, and obese state in the South.

[twerp]

"Otherwise...it seems like the school can unilaterally decide ANYTHING is gang related and, therefore, banned."

SO TRUE! One thing I learned in high school: You can relate ANYTHING to ANYTHING. Seriously. To test this theory, in my 12th-grade english class I was given weekly vocabulary words and had to write sentences with the words. I incorporated the word "oatmeal" into every single sentence--even with words like "apiary" and "aviary," it's possible to relate ANYTHING to oatmeal ;-)

[TequilaJoe]

I'm a real veteran of Catholic schools Phranqlin and you are off your rocker insane. If you wear a rosary it is not against the rules.

[Just Visiting This Planet]

The rosary worn around the neck over a plain white or black t-shirt has been "in fashion" in my neck of the woods since the summer. The guys who wear them are young, urban, hip-hop homeys. They aren't Catholic and I don't think they actually have a clue about what a rosary is.

I didn't know it was a gang thing. I wonder if the white t-shirt w/ rosary dudes are in a different gang from the black t-shirt w/ rosary dudes? Or are all the rosary boyz in one gang, and their archrival gangbangers are wearing Orthodox prayer ropes?

[Phranqlin]

@TJ -- When Sister Cecelia packed a girl off to the principal's office for violating rosary etiquette and followed it up with a five-minute rant on proper wearing of religious symbols, it made an impression on our tender little 3rd grade ears. :-)

[Lambiepie]

the rules about wear/don't wear rosaries is probably variable
depending on the nun, whether they're jesuit or not, and whether the nun wants to kick a$$ or not

[Joel]

Four.