Occurences like this make me wonder just exactly what people are thinking these days. It boggles the mind to think that there are parents out there that would condone this (especially at public schools these days). Regardless, it makes for a good laugh.
Even so, the little bugger deserves what he got.
I don’t think so. I wish people would quit making such a big deal out of penis and vagina. Like it says in the article its just another body part! Its not like its evil or shamefull even.
And yes I lmao too.
I’m from Ann Arbor (don’t live there now, though). My brother graduated from Community High. I can say with conviction two things–one, a male Community High student dressing as a vagina is not surprising, and two, the staff making him take the costume off is.
Community High is one of those “artistic” high schools. The students are given a lot of room to move. Their graduation ceremonies are a sight to behold, I’m telling you.
No, it’s not something I’d let my kid wear to school. I’m not much of an envelope-pusher, myself. I don’t know if he deserved suspension, though. I got the impression from the story that he did take the costume off, but put it back on after school hours. What’s the problem there, if it’s after school? I’d also be willing to bet that there were a lot of other students dressed in costumes designed for a gross-out. What makes them any less worthy of the action taken against this student?
I’m not saying that the student was right for wearing the costume–I don’t think that at all. IMHO, it was too adult for high school. I don’t disagree with asking him to take it off for the duration of the school day, either. But the story doesn’t say whether or not he was told he wouldn’t be allowed to wear the costume to the party, which was after classes ended. If they told him he couldn’t wear it to the party and he did anyway, then yes, the suspension is warranted. If they didn’t state that, then no, it isn’t.
I second that opinion.
God yes, Persephone is right. Commie High is a thing unto itself. I have often wondered what it takes to get suspended at Commie High–now I know. It’s full of brilliant, artistic nonconformists, and the waiting list to get in each year is astounding.
I think this kid must have liked pushing buttons. It made more sense to me when I heard his mom is a midwife and it was her own costume last year. They are all about demystifying the female body as well as demedicalizing birth. From the standpoint of “honoring where we all come from” it’s sort of cool. I don’t think this kid has problems. I might think so if this was in a different town, a different sort of school.
I think that the suspension probably was the right decision given how shocking it would be for his classmates who might not be ready for this sort of thing. It’s not approproiate for a school halloween party. But if he were older, with a more mature setting? I’d say it was a brilliant piece of creativity and an in-your-face challenge of what we think of as “dirty.” I like the costume.
I guess I should clarify my OP a little bit. I don’t really think there is anything inherently wrong with what he did, I just think he went over the edge a bit taking it to school. At the least, he should have known something was going to happen when the authorities-that-be saw what he was wearing. I mean, maybe he knew and did it anyway - and if he did, more power to him. If I were his parent, though, I would probably advise him not to wear something like that. Or at least to expect some flak.
I must admit, I didn’t know that this high school was anything out of the ordinary (someone mentioned it was “artistic” and whatnot). I know for sure that’s what would have happened to him if he were at my school. He probably would’ve been verbally abused by the rest of the students as well, but I think that’s just because of the above average amount of dimwits in my old class.
Also, I understand that the costume he wore was “anatomically correct” and not really dirty in any way, but I wouldn’t really want my child to be around something like that in high school. Besides, there’s enough of the real thing in college 
I think its a great costume, if a bit old. (I’ve seen this consept before.)
I don’t see why the school flipped out, honestly. Dressing up in crazy outfits is part of Halloween. He wasn’t even dressed up as something as tasteless as, oh, a terrorist for instance, or as gruesome as a murder victim/zombie.
Its a vagina. So what. Even I have one. Some people need to chill.
“Wouldn’t want my child to be around that in high school”? Do they go to an all boys school? Some people have the audacity to gasp carry thier vaginas to school with them every day. Brazenly, right past the metal detectors and everything! What have American youth come to?!?
sigh Sometimes I feel like a not so hyper feminist and then these things happen.
He shouldn’t have been suspended. IMHO. Laughed at, maybe, but suspended, not a chance.
Here school dress codes apply at after school events such as club meetings, dances and even football games. Perhaps if the teacher deemed it in violation of the dress codes during school and the event for which he put the costume back on was a school sponsored event, this is what got him suspended. It’s very likely outlined that way in the student handbook. I just checked my son’s to be sure.
I agree with your opinon and absolutely love the way you convey it. Just wanted to let you know it was well appreciated on my end.
His suspension seems to only be in place as a message to the rest of the high school from administration: (a la Tyler Durden) Do not f— with us. I certainly hope the suspension was not about the subject of the costume, for I will much rather that my children (far future) are exposed to images of anatomy than malicious dismemberment.
And Persephone says, “D’oh!”
Sometimes the obvious ones slip right past me. 