Lourdes should have supported students
To the editor: I would like to take this opportunity to express my thoughts and feelings regarding the attention that the recent suspensions at Lourdes Regional School is receiving, since my contacting The News-Item was how this all began.
First, I would like to say that I sent my children to Lourdes Regional because I believe that they would not have received a better education anywhere else. I am the proud parent of one Lourdes graduate and, in the future, I will be able to say that I am the proud parent of two Lourdes graduates. I have dealt with Sister Margaret, and personally know and have a great deal of respect for many of the staff members at Lourdes. With that being said, I do not agree with the position that they took regarding this particular incident.
I cannot speak for all of the families involved, but I would like to address this situation and how it affected my own family. My son, along with his peers, was addressed after a school Mass regarding the attire he wore to a basketball game at Tri-Valley. He and his peers were told that, "for future games they were to dress and behave in a manner that was not an insult to the opposition." My son told me what transpired, and I agreed that his straw hat and flannel shirt, though worn in good fun, could possibly be offensive to the opposition. When Lourdes played Tri-Valley again, my son did not wear the attire mentioned previously, but opted for a baseball hat with a John Deere Logo.
Prior to him leaving for the game, I agreed with him that what he was wearing was fine. He attended the game without incident. Several days later, he was called to the office and asked by the principal what he wore to the game. After describing the hat that he wore, he was told that he would receive an out of school suspension for "defiance and disobedience." I do not believe that he was being defiant or disobedient. I told him that what he was wearing was fine. After meeting with the principal, speaking to the administrator and contacting the Diocese with no response, my son felt, and I agreed, that he wasn't being heard. However, one staff member at Tri-Valley was being heard loud and clear. It was at this point that I contacted media in an attempt to give my son, and his peers, a voice that could be heard.
Many opinions have been expressed these past few days regarding these students' behavior, character, Christianity, morals, intent, etc., and the community and alumni who are supporting them. I believe that I can speak for all of the families involved when I say that these students attended this game to show school spirit, and have good, clean fun. It is my opinion that Lourdes staff should have supported their students and explained to this Tri-Valley staff member that this type of good, clean fun, which has been occurring at Lourdes since it's inception, happens at sporting events everywhere, instead of supporting Tri-Valley and handing out suspensions.
There were more than nine students in attendance and in similar attire, but it was decided that only these nine students were being offensive. Who gets to decide what is appropriate and what is not? Who decides who gets suspended and who does not? I suppose maybe I am the one who should have been disciplined and not my son, since I told him that "what he was wearing was fine."
Respectfully,
Anna Garancheski
Coal Township
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