“Crucifix breaks health and safety rules, school tells Catholic girl”
A Catholic girl was asked not to wear a crucifix on a chain at school because it breached health and safety rules, her father said yesterday. ... Deputy head teacher Paul Jackson defended the school’s stance. He said: “The school has a policy of no jewellery to be worn by any students in years seven to 10. All parents and students are aware of this.
“The only exception to our uniform rule we would consider making is if the jewellery were an essential requirement of a particular religion.
“We have no reason to believe this to be the case in this instance.”
So it’s not really about health and safety, but more about regulations of school uniforms. They don’t say why students in years 7 to 10 are not allowed to wear jewelry, but my guess is that it’s the same reason you often have school uniforms: to prevent wealthier kids from lording their status over poor kids by wearing distinctive clothing. Yet, a crucifix?
Perhaps the crucifix is no longer deemed an essential aspect of Christianity since it’s been so watered down. So many pop stars and celebrities wear them now with complete disregard for their significance and meaning that they’ve become meaningless.
I’m reminded of the song “Cross of Gold” by Christian singer Michael W. Smith:
What’s your line/Tell me why you wear your cross of gold/State of mind/Or does it find a way into your soul.
Is it a flame/Is it a passion/A symbol of love living in you/Or is it a game/Religious in fashion/Some kind of phase you’re going thru?
On the other hand, the way things are going in Britain, it’s just as possible that she’s been told not to wear the cross so that it won’t offend Muslim students.
Technorati Tags:Britain, crucifix, religious freedom, school
It could just be the now, unfortunately, outdated notion that girls of that age shouldn’t “glam” themselves up. I will side with the school on this one.
Not sure how a crucifix can be considered “glam”. My niece wears a nice little crucifix. I suppose we’d have to see what the piece of jewelry looked like. This is the problem with zero tolerance, blanket policies: They make no room for common sense.
From what I read, it seems that the school offered her a compromise: “Wear a crucifix lapel pin; we just don’t let anybody wear necklaces because they’ll get caught on something.” Link to that is here: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/row.erupts.over.students.crucifix/9108.htm
Now, I’m not so sure that necklaces getting caught on stuff is a huge hazard, but if they’re willing to let her wear a crucifix pin, I’m not sure why there’s such a big issue.
Crucifix use is also Goth chic. I knew many who wore them for the vampiric irony (God doesn’t have power over us morally free Goths!). If the school has a general, “no jewelry,” policy then she shouldn’t wear the necklace. If she has some special attachment to it wear it on her arm, attached to a button insider her blouse, or in a pocket.
Frankly this sounds cheeky. She should submit to the proper authorities unless this is a matter of faith and even then she should be, “cautious as a serpent”.