Eyeliner = Witchcraft & Devil Worship
Sunday August 31, 2008
Thanks to reader Christine in West Virginia for sending this one along. In an move oddly reminiscent of last year's Florida gothwear debacle, a high school prinicpal has suspended four teenage boys for violating the dress code by wearing eyeliner. I kid you not. Eyeliner.
The students, who all attend Hedgesville High School, were told by the principal that eyeliner on males is a symbol of "gangs, violence and drug use." In fact, principal Don Dellinger said that certain markings done with eyeliner actually represent "satanic worship, witchcraft or gang membership," or at least, that's what the school policy says. One has to wonder who exactly wrote the school policy, and if it was laid out maybe a hundred years ago.
Derek Rose, one of the suspended students, likes to wear red and black eyeliner. His mom, Sharon Carpenter-Rose, says she doesn't get why this is even an issue. "You know, it's eyeliner," she said. "I wear eyeliner. It doesn't make any sense to me." In fact, there's nothing in the school policy about makeup at all, and no girls have been suspended for wearing eyeliner. Derek and the other three boys say they'll continue to wear eyeliner, even though they've been sent home from school.
Hedgesville High School seems to have a pretty good track record - they recently won an award for academic achievement, and their demographic information indicates that they're slightly above the state average when it comes to graduation rates. It would be a shame to see something as ridiculous as an eyeliner rule bring division to this school and community.
Do students need to have a good environment to learn in? Yes. Are some things disruptive? Yes. Is eyeliner on a sixteen year old boy something worth suspending him over? Not hardly. I doubt that there are other kids saying, "I can't focus in math class because Derek's eyeliner is distracting me." Don't get me wrong, I'm all in favor of enforcing a dress code when it's needed. But this is not only silly, but it's also inconsistent. Girls can wear eyeliner but boys can't. If you're going to ban makeup because it's distracting to others (whatever the heck that means), then ban it for everyone. Don't go and make up some piddly excuse about how eyeliner means you have "satanic worship and witchcraft" in the school. Then again, that brings us to another point -- if you have Satanists and witches in your school, guess what? They're allowed to be Satanists and witches, and they're entitled to an education too.
The students, who all attend Hedgesville High School, were told by the principal that eyeliner on males is a symbol of "gangs, violence and drug use." In fact, principal Don Dellinger said that certain markings done with eyeliner actually represent "satanic worship, witchcraft or gang membership," or at least, that's what the school policy says. One has to wonder who exactly wrote the school policy, and if it was laid out maybe a hundred years ago.
Derek Rose, one of the suspended students, likes to wear red and black eyeliner. His mom, Sharon Carpenter-Rose, says she doesn't get why this is even an issue. "You know, it's eyeliner," she said. "I wear eyeliner. It doesn't make any sense to me." In fact, there's nothing in the school policy about makeup at all, and no girls have been suspended for wearing eyeliner. Derek and the other three boys say they'll continue to wear eyeliner, even though they've been sent home from school.
Hedgesville High School seems to have a pretty good track record - they recently won an award for academic achievement, and their demographic information indicates that they're slightly above the state average when it comes to graduation rates. It would be a shame to see something as ridiculous as an eyeliner rule bring division to this school and community.
Do students need to have a good environment to learn in? Yes. Are some things disruptive? Yes. Is eyeliner on a sixteen year old boy something worth suspending him over? Not hardly. I doubt that there are other kids saying, "I can't focus in math class because Derek's eyeliner is distracting me." Don't get me wrong, I'm all in favor of enforcing a dress code when it's needed. But this is not only silly, but it's also inconsistent. Girls can wear eyeliner but boys can't. If you're going to ban makeup because it's distracting to others (whatever the heck that means), then ban it for everyone. Don't go and make up some piddly excuse about how eyeliner means you have "satanic worship and witchcraft" in the school. Then again, that brings us to another point -- if you have Satanists and witches in your school, guess what? They're allowed to be Satanists and witches, and they're entitled to an education too.
Comments
Gotta love ignorance. I won’t pretend to get the whole goth thing, but I certainly don’t have an issue with people doing it. I had a few friends that were into it, and I definitely never associated satanism or witchcraft with dressing that way. My high schools never had any problems with the goth people and fashions as long as they didn’t violate any rules. They even let the one guy wear a dress (no it wasn’t a kilt). I’m glad I had some decent schools when it comes to acceptance, at least from the enforcement side. There was plenty of ignorant students giving them hard times, but I doubt there’s a school that doesn’t have any of that.
I hope these students get things worked out wth the school without the need for lawyers. Education is education.
Now what century did this occur in? er oh yeah i forgotthe 21st century,It’s a shame that people have to automatically judge one by clothes, skin color,and now if that wasnt enough EYELINER!!! I mean its just a way of self expression. we all went thru some form of it when we we kids,I know I did!! I wore long hair and torn jeans and an old army jacket,but that was partially my protest of tthe Vietnam war tho LOL! But anyhoo I see it this way no matter what hey look like, no matter what it stands for these kids are entitled by law to a decent education!!
And unlees the principle wears a juges robes and bangs a gavel then he hasnt the right to infringe upon theirs!
Nuff Said!!
SpellCaster)0(…. Pass the power!!
The principal is just jealous. He can’t wear eyeliner- it’s too hard to apply with his head so far up where the sun don’t shine.
Congrats to the Principal for making this successful school a laughing stock among intelligent, educated people. As students learn that expressing themselves, simply and peaceably, is courting disciplinary action, one can only expect it will go ‘underground’, thereby depriving school administrators the ability to exercise such blatant abuse of authority. This will, in turn, teach their pupils to keep more to themselves, and alienate authority, exactly as they should in accordance with the teachings of Sunzi Bingfa [Sun Tzu].
Email the principal at:
ddelling (at) access.k12.wv.us
I’d suggest something intelligent that included reference to anachronism as well as the US Constitution–he clearly articulated two of his three objections on religious grounds.
**Note - I’ve edited this so that while you can still email the principal, he won’t get hit with a zillion spambots. ~~patti
Thats pathetic *shakes head*
I’m appalled, but not surprised that high schools really haven’t changed much in the 20 years since I graduated. I remember my senior year, a gal was ejected from the senior prom for wearing a sari (sp?) as her prom dress. And I’m not talking your average sari. This thing was beautiful…we’re talking formal, Hindu wedding type…because it wasn’t proper prom attire, or so the principal said. All the students protested of course because we knew that it had nothing to do with her clothing. It looked better than some of the prom dresses, and certainly covered a lot more skin. She was ejected because she’d come out a couple months earlier and refused to continue hiding her sexual orientation. She was my high school’s first openly gay student which thoroughly embarrassed the principal and school board.
Erm…on what planet are there eyeliner wearing, drugged up, satanist, goth gangs violently terrorising the neighbourhood? **shakes head in confusion**
I’ve seen various gangs/gang members with their colours on show and acting in an agressive manner and I’m sure (although perhaps I need an eye test) that none of them wore eyeliner, were goths, or showed any outward symbol that they were pagan and/or satanists… Perhaps I should visit the neighbourhood that this school is located to view this amazing spectacle!
Then again, perhaps the principal needs to find a time machine and go back to the dark ages where he came from…a village is missing its idiot!
I’ve always heard people fear what they don’t understand and this seems to be a prime example. The principal doesn’t understand why these boys want to wear eyeliner so he fears it and comes up with these off the wall excuses for why the eyeliner must go. It constantly amazes me that people still don’t get that we all are different and different is not bad. The majority of the time, you can learn from different and often in a very positive way. Let the boys wear the eyeliner as so many of the celebrities are doing these days and let them keep their rights! School should NOT feel like a prison.
Hm…methinks this principal should change the policy — fast. It’s not only ridiculous, it’s also discriminatory. Unless the school policy forbids female students, teachers, principals, custodians and luchroom workers to refrain from eyeliner, the boys could really make a fuss over this. Anyone want to guess which “symbols” they consider Satanic?
Merry Meet,
I think the boys have good taste, I love to wear pink and black eyeliner together. I believe in if it harms none do what ye will.
They should let the boys be, their not harming anyone!
I think the principle is correct in this matter,kids go to school to learn!!! what the hell is a boy wearing eyeliner in the first place. I have a 13 year old daughter and she made national honor society(15 kids were chosen out of the entire school district)I would not want her going to a school where boys were aloud to wear eyeliner etc.it is not the children’s fault, its the parents fault. you should be ashamed of yourself for even letting your kid go to school with RED & BLACK eyeliner!!! whats next red and black died hair? sounds like those boys are calling out for some attention to me.its like this, when you or me go out into public and see some type of strange guy wearing red & black eyeliner in your mind and my mind we are thinking, damn look how stupid that looks.you know you do. once again, our children go to school to learn not to have some kind of fashion contest. I applaud the principle. My child goes to an A+ public school and they cant even wear anything black such as pants or a shirt, because they feel its gang related.the parents of those boys are going to have alot of problems if they are allowing this ignorant behavior at such a young age, you watch and see. I am going to write a letter of support to the principle of the school. more people should as well. How stupid A BOY wearing red and black eyeliner….dumb ass
Wow, Misty, you must feel extra special because your kid is “NORMAL”. Whooptedoda for you. All 3 of my kids graduated from a PRIVATE school. All but the youngest are sefl supporting, not into drugs, “good church going” non-gang/crimial contributing members of society. My daughter, now 26, was into Goth, she wore the black lipstick/eyeliner and the white makeup. My oldest son, now 23, was major right wing conservitive in an Army jacket and torn jeans, his hero was and still is Rush Limbaw. My youngest, National Honor Student, Presidents Honor Roll, 4.50 grade average, has blue hair, wears a kilt to school, will be getting his first tat in 2 months when he turns 18, has it draw out and it looks nice. All 3 were raised in the mainstream Christian church I grew up in and all 3 have worn their own personal “badge” there and were accepted and loved as they were. I am glad they were because they now accept me having come out of the broomcloset.
Good luck to your children, Misty, they are the ones that will have to live in the world with my “weird” nurse, accountant and soon to be Air Force Capt.
Please!!!! I have 16 and 20 yr sons. We’ve gone through dye jobs, pierced ears and other types of self expression. That’s all it is.
I understand that schools have to have rules and that the students are there to learn- but self expressions and learning who they really are through self expansion and self expression is part of learning as well.
If the worse thing a kid does during their high school years is dye their hair pink or green or wear eyeliner- GO FOR IT!!! Trust me when I say there are so many worse things they could be doing- from drug and alcohol experimentation to oh let’s see, being closed minded and judgmental as their parents.
Wear the eyeliner and stand up for yourself ALWAYS in ALL WAYS! If we don’t stand up for our personal rights- who will?
Dana
Wow, simply Wow… Misty, I would have been in big trouble going to that high school as 95% of my clothes are black and it’s not because I’m Goth, but simply because black is slimming. I can’t believe that a school could be that narrow-minded and they are suppose to be teaching our children to be open-minded???? Wow.
That is funny as Hades….I know people like that in my one horse town..wouldn’t be surprised if they started that here in yell county….
These schools today worry too much on our childrens outwardly appearances and trying to rush them to act like adults; thus resulting in all these Suspension and other punishments. All there doing is forcing our children to want to rebel and cause ruckus. They forget that they are Educators not Punishers. Yet there hell bent on make more and more law (rules of conduct) which go above and beyond the call of duty. Maybe that principle aught to go back to school and be educated on what trully is Satanic Rituals, Witchcraft….. Because trully for a grown educated man he is trully simpleminded and immature!
Believe it or not same BS is going on here in Suburbia area of NY that I live in. Oh and they have it where some standards aren’t allowed for some of the children but alot of the other children its ok….Argh.
My daughter wears make up. She is 13. She’s worn make up since she was 11. Why do I let her, well it’s all about self expression. It’s all about self esteem. A child must feel free to be themselves. These are the test years. They test things. Hopefully not bad things, but nevertheless they will try. Our goal should be to point them in the right direction, not to mold them into what we think they should do, not do, be not be. Kids that feel good about themselves thrive in school, sports, music etc.
Give them wings and they will fly, clip their wings and they will die.
this same thing happened at my school 2 years ago, all because eyeliner on a guy is different. the guy wearing was a good student, never did anything to get himself into trouble, but because he wasn’t a Christian and dressed differently he always found himself getting written up for stupid stuff like this. america is supposed to be the land of opportunity and equality, but you know, i never really see it, i see the prejudice, the hate, and the pettiness, but never equality, and i’m only 19. what happened to freedom for all???
It is becoming more and more obvious to me that people fear what they do not understand. For someone to be concerned about make-up on a child instead of reading the daily headlines of violence tells that this man has a very small mind. I pray everyday to the Divine Mother that the fear and loathing that society has for people who will not conform is one day gone forever from our hearts and minds. Maybe if these so called Christians would read their texts, they would see whom the real heretics are. Let’s just hope and pray that these boys will not comform and stand up for what they feel is right in their hearts.
Crystal, freedom for all got killed when European settlers decided that this country was “empty” or that the “natives” weren’t doing anything “productive” with the land (outside of living on and from it) so they had every right to take it from them. It died on the vine when 20 Africans were brought over in 1619 to work for free against their will. It choked to death when the only people worth having the vote were White, male owners of property.
There has never been any freedom for all in this country no matter how many inaccurate history books publish that or jingoistic, pseudo-patriotic PSAs and filmstrips blare it in schools. I’m just amused when folks are shocked when the inequality finally shows up on their doorstep and affects them in minor ways while the rest of us have been struggling with it in major ways for centuries.
People are afraid of what they don’t understand & a lot of people don’t understand make-up on a male, no matter…Personally, it makes me no difference who wears what, for there are times my husband wears more make-up than I ever thought of…People need to pick & choose what they fight about & it seems as if SOMEone sure picked a lulu on this…If it’s tastefully applied, I find it attractive on guys, that’s just me…I’m from the each to their own philosophy & just because the principal or whoever was responsible for suspending these young men wouldn’t dream of dressing as these young men do, SO WHAT??? Aren’t grades the bottom line, not what one wears?
I could rattle on & on, but it’s all about tolerance for others, whether it’s their beliefs, manner of dress, sexuality, you name it…Blessed be…
Sounds like a clear case of gender discrimination to me.
Ok so we have been confomed in all area’s to being controlled by government and the agencies they support. Guess the only thing left is for them to attack how we dress.
This is more than rediculous. Alot of the today’s trends are given and supported by the media which have been endorsed in a large part by the government. Then the government decides that although it has a place in the media - it doesn’t in the schools…how does that make sense?
I have never heard that if you were in any Pagan path you must wear eyeliner. Assuption has trickled down from the pollitions to the masses. Ignorance is apparently abundant - and these are the one’s educating our children..scary!
Wow Misty. So your daughter’s school has banned anything black? What colour are they allowed to graduate in? OMG! They can’t wear the perfectly normal, perfectly reasonable colour black. Your daughter will look like an non-conformist in her graduation gown *gasp*
I’m female and wear all sorts of different colour eyeliner and I wear it to work! I wore it at school, and I will continue to wear it when I start graduate job. I would also defend to the death my son’s right to wear eyeliner if he so chose to wear it. Some men look amazing in eyeliner and have greater skill at applying it than some women! It makes me jealous :p
Yes, school is for learning, but if you don’t have a school uniform and you don’t have crystal clear rules on what can and cannot be worn on your face at school, kids can wear whatever they like and it’s not fair that these boys can be cheated out of their education by some man who is too afraid of the concept of individuality to consider that men can wear make up.
This angers me a lot. Whatever happened to religious freedom? IF (and that’s a BIG IF) these boys were wearing eyeliner for witchcraft purposes then who is to say they aren’t allowed to? I’m sure that religion doesn’t play a role in their decision to wear makeup, but if it did, then the principal has no right to infringe on their religious freedom. The fact that he would even liken it to Satanic worship or witchcraft makes me believe he is a small minded imbecile. Why not suspend every child who wears crosses or crucifixes to school because it’s a symbol of Christian worship? It’s the same thing.
Oh yeah, and Misty too bad you didn’t go to that wonderful A+ school you sent your children to. Maybe you could have learned to spell and use grammar properly if you had.
Yes Misty, A BOY wearing eyeliner! What’s next- women driving cars and getting jobs?! Oh lordy, it’s so bright and scary outside the nursery! LOL
What would we do without the ignorance of today? If eyeliner was a sign “Christianity”, would it be okay for all the boys to run out to the local Wally World and stock up for school the next day? Of course it would be. However, they have it all wrong as usual. Ignorance. it is as overpowering as always.
Goddess Bless
As a parent, I believe that “choose your battles” should be a mantra for anyone who deals with kids on a regular basis. What gets me is…if he chose this battle, what truly important issues is he neglecting?
When will adults learn that the more you fuss with kids about the way they look the more outlandish they will try to be. They are at an age where they are finding themselves, expressing themselves. I’ve always allowed my kids to wear their hair the way they want, wear the clothes the want and try makeup if they want. Sometimes they find something that is meaningful to them and they continue with it, other times, many times, they get tired of it after a while and move on to something else. Why do we have to still judge others on how they choose to express themselves. there are so much more important things to stress about in this day and age… the war, the price of food and gas, unemployment. get involved in helping others instead of judging them
Yes Misty, A BOY wearing eyeliner! What’s next- women driving cars and getting jobs?! Oh lordy, it’s so bright and scary outside the nursery!
Well put justme! Women wearin’ bloomers, unsegregated drinkin’ fountains, Irishman running for president, dogs and cats living together, it’s madness out there!
But, to make my own case to Misty, guys were allowed to dress punk at my school, yet somehow, despite that and the far bigger distraction of my own principal’s bad rug, I managed to learn how to proofread my posts and differentiate between ‘principal’ and ‘principle.’
I rest my case.
Hehe. I must have had a pretty liberal school. There were only a few rules in place for a dress code.
A) Please leave your ta-tas INSIDE your clothing.
B) If we can see your underwear, your clothes are either too short or too low.
C) If you are wearing a shirt with a beer logo, hemp leaves, or Chinese-characteresque lettering that says “F*** This Shyte” on it, please turn it inside out or we “might” ask you to leave.
No one ever said anything about makeup, or else they might have had to send a few girls home because they looked like “hookers” (and unfortunately, probably acted like them, too…)
We had two honor society, band member, church going, straight-A students pulled over by a cop on the way to a pep band engagement at a local basketball game because they were wearing bandanas on their way back from a curling meet. The cop said they “looked like gang members,” but if he’d even taken a moment to consider the two girls in question (Girls!! Yes, girls wearing bandanas on their heads! Oh heavens, here come the guns blazing now!), he’d have known better in the first place. Two of the smartest, nicest girls you could ever hope to meet.
That said, leave the kids alone. If eyeliner is the worst thing these guys have done, I’d say their parents have done a pretty good job so far.
WOW…I work at a school (it’s a K-12 school)small town I know, but like Brigitta said…Pick your battles! Wearing eyeliner won’t get you pregnant, give you STDs, kill someone or drive kids to drugs.
I work at the school, I am just as freaky as the kids…black shirts, size 0 gauges (big holes in my ears), dye my hair even pink sometimes…and have lots of tattoos. It is just self expression. What drives me crazy is the cruelty to each other, the name calling, the lack of respect to one another…I stop that whenever I can. If a kid dresses differently or has dyed hair/eyeliner/pierced whatever…I usually will tell him/her…that I think that it’s cool and the smile is So Worth It!!!
I wish people would worry more about the fact that lots of these kids don’t have the money for lunch, don’t have parents that give a s==t, or that some don’t even have food at home..if they were “so called Christians” that would be more of an issue, and not what the kid was wearing…aaaahhhhh!!!!!
Stupid stupid people…
Oh, I forgot one thing…
Misty…what’s going to happen when your kid gets into the Real World…not just the make believe one that apparently you feel so highly of? As long as your kid knows there are people out there that wear black, have dyed hair and wear eyeliner and that they are good people..WOW just wait until college…are you going to hold your child’s hand their too?
Oh, and learn to spell please…it’s principal
Thank you
Kaia
Ok this is just beyond dumb. I agree that it is all self expansion and self expression and just being teenagers. There are alot of worse things that teenagers could be involved in (drugs, sex, alcohol, etc). If you ever take the time to talk to a person who dresses in Goth and wears the make-up, alot of times they are very interesting, intelligent people with alot of great ideas. I also agree it is stupid that the principal made a big deal about this and what’s worse is that when the mother went to the school board about it, they threw up their hands and didn’t want to get in the middle of it… some school board…
But here’s another thought that most people overlooked…
IT’S WEST VIRGINIA!!!
Having lived there, in Charleston, for several years I can honestly tell you that there are no gangs, no drive-by shootings, no beat downs. When was the last time you heard the nightly news tell about something gang related happening in West Virginia? Or anything happening at all? Kids there are so bored out of their minds that I’m not at all suprised that some of them are dressing goth (Hot Topic and Spencer’s being the only interesting stores left in the Mall). And if that’s the only gripe that principal can come up with, I say good job students! and Grow Up principal!
You know, the great actor Sir Ben Kingsley has been in a lot of movies and he wore black eyeliner, and he looks very much like the “man in charge.” I would say good for the boys, and don’t cave in. Be your self, not a clone or product of society. So in short let me say that if I had the choice to send my daughter to a school that let the kids wear black, boy’s wear eyeliner and skirts or send her to a school that has gangs, shootings and kids fighting all the time… I think I would pick the first. BTW… uniforms suck any way. Dress like this. Do this. Think like this. Don’t be creative. Don’t make waves. Act like an adult. …. Makes me sick, it’s no wonder that school kids are sleeping with teachers their being told that they should act like adults… AGHHH! Rant concluded.
You know, the great actor Sir Ben Kingsley has been in a lot of movies and he wore black eyeliner, and he looks very much like the “man in charge.” I would say good for the boys, and don’t cave in. Be your self, not a clone or product of society. So in short let me say that if I had the choice to send my daughter to a school that let the kids dress, boy’s wear eyeliner and skirts or send her to a school that has gangs, shootings and kids fighting all the time… I think I would pick the first. BTW… uniforms suck any way. Dress like this. Do this. Think like this. Don’t be creative. Don’t make waves. Act like an adult. …. Makes me sick, it’s no wonder that school kids are sleeping with teachers their being told that they should act like adults… AGHHH! Rant concluded.
Hellos,
I congratulate the kids in their desire for self exploration, and their parents support of same. Cheers! We need more kids and parents like them!
If I were at that school, I would start a silent protest by wearing eyeliner too (I am male), and giving my lunch-money to them to help with court fees if it ends up going that route.
Misty I feel has unresolved issues she is forcing her children to have, continuing the cycle to the next generation.
Please my dear, seek a therapist, you seem a little extreme in your unyielding nature. I am guessing you see the aberrant everywhere, and it is stressing you. *NOT a personal attack, but a suggestion. I am not qualified, and an article comment does almost nil in guaging a persons totality*.
Carpe Nyx,
Rafe
*shaking head* What is the big deal with eye liner? It WASHES OFF!!!! It is NOT PERMANENT! It could just be a phase the kids are going through.
My daughter is a senior in high school. Before she started back, I paid for her to have a Bast tattoo on her right leg as a birthday present for her 17th birthday. She is in Classical Academy (what the honor students attend) in her public school, pulling in great grades, has not smoked, drank, or done any drugs (and knows I’ll kick her behind if she does). Her boyfriend wore eyeliner for a while (it was a phase).
Let the kids be who they are! As long as they are staying out of trouble, let them express themselves. You never know, by letting your son wear eyeliner you may keep the lines of communication open between you and your child.
Kudos to the open-minded parents, and hugs to the closed-minded ones (lighten up, folks).
Blessed Be,
MomWolf
I can only speak from personal experience; my sister is 14 years old, dresses like what most people would call “normal” she is Catholic etc. etc., and guess what, she is having sex, doing drugs, and drinking. My family has tried everything they can do to help her. When I was her age I dressed “goth” and had male friends and boyfriends etc. who wore eyeliner, some were straight A good kids, others were bad as hell. I guess what I am trying to say is that its not what the kids are wearing its what we as adults are trying to teach them. If these boys are good kids then what is the problem? There are bad goths and good goths; bad punks and good punks; bad preps good preps; it doesnt matter.
Thats my two cents
Vaida, I believe that is the point that many people are trying to make. While children and people need to have some amount of freedom to experience the world through their own eyes and in a certain way, there is a limit. What this principal is doing is beyond that limit and is infringing on these students personal rights that are extended by the constitution.
I would much rather have my child express themselves through clothing, makeup and different color hair than through drugs, drinking and sex. Its much safer and if you suppress your children to much and hold them under lock and key, they are going to rebel, one way or another. I know this first hand, because I did it myself.
I couldn’t wear anything but dresses to school, and they had to go past my knees. I couldn’t cut my hair. I had an 8 o’clock curfew. No drinking, dying of my hair, makeup, dating etc. I could go over to friends houses only if my mom and dad approved and if they themselves where Christians. So I started having my friends lie, saying they were Christians. They’d go to church with me a few weeks to “prove” it so that I could go over to their homes and then we’d go party. At the age of 17 I became an alcoholic. Drinking every weekend. Having older friends who would buy me alcohol and hiding it in my room and drinking. And my parents never suspected a thing. Nor did they suspect that I was hiding my true feelings regarding the religion they were raising me.
The moral of the story is, you can tell your kids to not do this and not do that…. you can raise them in a super strict household as I was. And they will rebel. Because they see other children, teenagers have the freedoms to express themselves they do not. I am now a recovering alcoholic at the age of 27 raising two small children of my own with my husband and finally have the freedom to practice my faith and express myself as I want to and I am a much happier person for it.
I don’t blame my parents for the way they raised me, as they saw it as a way of protecting me but what this principal is doing is wrong. He is trying to parent children that are not his to parent. Wearing eyeliner as a boy isn’t distracting, hell is almost mainstream these days when you consider musicians, artists, etc. Focus on more important things like their education, safety, school financing and class sizes. Those are the important battles.
Many things in this world confuse me, but nothing moreso than what people will fixate on in order to exclude others’ individuality.
With all that is happing in our world, WHY would a school principal (who is suppose to encourage our children) punish a child for eyeliner?
This throws up all manner of “red flags” to me. Who is this principal? What is his background? Why does he feel so threatened?
His excuses of “gang activity” does not wash…more likely he has some deep-seated phobia, and has no business working in a position where he has an authority over our children.
Time for the school board to look closely into this issue, and remove that principal who is apparently an insecure, hostile personality.
So, are they going to stop the teachers from wearing eyeliner???? I don’t think so. I think this guy is just afraid of something he knows nothing about. He (assuming it is a guy) must have had a sheltered life as a kid and gets pissed at kids that are allowed to do the things he wishes he could have done. I’m 48 years old, married, three kids, 28 years in the military, and a Druid. If the kids are not disrupting class, let they wear the eyeliner. I did when I was in school and I seem OK.
Someone mentioned that this is a phase. Lets face it the majority of youngsters/teenagers will at some point go through some sort of phase.
The ironic thing is, because the Principal has made a big deal out of this, the kids (being kids!) have decided to dig their heels in. So now its a big issue, has fostered bad feeling and has a negative impact on the image of the school.
So - way to go Principal! You scored an own goal!
I emailed the principal, and told him about my son: Wiccan SGT Jason Schumann, who was killed by an IED in Iraq last year.
Hopefully, I enlightened him, but I doubt that!
Candie
First of all Misty….the word os allowed not aloud; and I bet you are so poriud of your precious little princess who made the National Honor Society (15 kids were chosen out of the entire school district; how sad for your school district)Honey I am in the National Honor Society… more than 15 kids in my class ALONE earned the honor of being members; thid is not a club you sign up for you EARNTHE RIGHT TO BELONG BY STUDYING YOUR BUTT OF
sorry as I was saying…..your butt off, unless they have dumbed that down too….Somehow my brain just cannot wrap around the concept the black and red eyeliner is a threat to ANYONE……
I live in NY so when you say gang I dont think goth I think Cripts and Bloods and I cant remember the last time I saw a member of either of those gangs wearing guyliner….
It’s nice to see ignorance is alive and well out there( oh by the way misty I am being sarcastic since you really dont seem to be that quick on the pick up…
May the Goodess open your heart and MIND to the wonderful differences that make us all her special children…even the boys wearing the eyeliner (wonder if they give lessons, I can never seem to get the line straight…
Brightest Blessings to you W1tchMom
I get scared when I see a boy wearing eyeliner because I think he might be a pirate.
I guess if he’s as sexy as Johnny Depp, it could be okay. ^_^
Obviously this educator isn’t too well educated. Eyeliner was used in many ancient civilizations - gee, were the Egyptians hanging around with gangs and were they satanists?
Well no, but they enslaved the Jews. But I digress.
For the record…I’m all for everyone’s right to expression. The boys should not have been punished for wearing eyeliner. The principal just didn’t know how to respond to his own fear. I’m sure he realizes that he overreacted, but won’t admit that or relent because of pride. Just think of the laugh these boys will be able to have with their kids and grandkids in years to come when they tell them about this!
I am divided on this issue. I believe in the freedom of self expression. I also believe that every child deserves to learn in a comfortable, non-distracting environment. I think it mught actually be safer for the boy if he didn’t wear eyeliner… I am sure the other boys gang up on him. Sure, it’s not fair but it happens right here in my school too. The goth boys wearing eyeliner are more apt to get beat up than the band geeks. I practice wicca, not too many people know. My mom is a witch too. Most the goths at my school don’t even understand what wicca is about. I don’t think there should be a problem with boys wearing eyeliner (or earrings either) but alot of people do. Isn’t this America where the majority rules?
There is a time and place for everything.
Also, if one wants to comments on anothers misspellings, they should at the very least proofread their own post- to make sure they don’t have any of their own glaring errors.
If eyeliner makes you a satanist, witch, gang member and so forth, then 90% of all females are bad bad people…
Sigh, I just wish some people would get out of their state of tunnle vision and wake up. What are they going to do next, sue Revelon for promoting violence?
The whole thing is really childish.
I’m enrolled in a government resident program, Job Corps, that has a really screwed up veiw of dress code, and policies with the term “Satanic”. With the posting of the father that murdered his daughters because of a supposed satanic ritual, I tried to go to the website for the church of Satan and it was blocked. However, with another link on this site, I was able to go to GodHatesFags.com. Our dress code states that no one can wear black fingernail polish, wear all black clothing, have black shoe laces, or wear satanic makeup. (e.g. black lipstick and eyeliner)These rules are stupid and unreasonable, however, everyone follows them or else. There are also rules on Witchcraft that forbids students to preform rituals or spells that harm other students or staff. I thought about giving Scott Cunningham’s The Truth About Witchcraft to the Center Director, yet it would probably thrown away without a second thought. I’ve felt threatened and that my religious preference are not considered in this program that I am going through. However, this program is nation wide, and does provide free schooling, vocational training, and I am able to live, eat, and be dressed by these people. It’s a same price to pay by not painting my nails, or lips black. I’ve been here 18 months, will leave with my Associate’s Degree in another year. I’m lucky to be in my community where I know of and help found a coven. I leave on weekend passes for Sabbaths and rituals.
“If you have Satanists and witches in your school, guess what? They’re allowed to be Satanists and witches, and they’re entitled to an education too.”
Not if you’re a student at Cooper ISD (the school where I’m currently a senior). Our student handbook specifically states in the dress code that “skulls, serpents, daggers, inverted crosses, pentagrams or any other satanic or occult symbol will be allowed on clothing, jewelry, handbags, etc.”
However, three out of five students you see walking down the hall is either wearing a (non-inverted) cross or a t-shirt with some quote from the bible on it or advertising their church. Completely biased.
However, I’ve continued to wear a pentacle every day for over a year. I was made to take it off one day last year; this year I have a new pendant that’s a pentacle with the tree of life in the background, it hasn’t been noticed yet (or rather, commented on.)
I want to get the point across to my administrators that this is religion discrimination, but I can’t figure out how to effectively present my case…
My daughter was “talked” to about her hooded cloak with the words Blessed Be on the back being a problem at school. They started off by telling her it wasn’t a coat or jacket. So we looked up the defination of those words and what she was wearing conformed to the defination. So they turned to the may be a safety hazard or disruptive issue, it didn’t fall under that either. So they started just saying to her, “weren’t you told you weren’t to wear that at school?” When they got the message that she might want to let the ACLU in on the whole matter they stopped getting on her about it. They are allowed to wear black, thank goodness because we all wear that color because its easier to keep clean.
This is so dumb. No matter what the school does, these kids are going to wear eyeliner anyway. I don’t see the point of making a big deal out of it. Is the fact that these kids have eyeliner on distracting anyone? Do they perform satanic rituals during class and hail the eyeliner God?
I believe it is about the kind of child you have, not their clothing. I, myself, wear a lot of black clothing, ripped jeans, band-tees, and a lot of eyeliner. I don’t plan to change this anytime soon.
I get good grades (Yes, Misty, I’m on the honor roll!! *Gasp!*)I was also invited to be a student embassador from CT in China over the summer with the People to People program.
I actually find that when you dress differently, you’ll make better friends because they accept you for who you are. Misty, this is not a personal attack, but you need to ease up on your kids and let them be who they want. Oh yeah, and pull them out of that ignoramous filled school!! I also go to private school, and one of the girls in my class has blonde hair with black streaks and she wears different color eyeliner. She’s a good student and she’s really nice, so the black clothing and eyeliner have nothing to do with the kind of person they are.
Plus, gangs? Please! I know a jock who was in a gang. Completely preppy with popped-collar polos. So a gang of eyeliner wearing kids? Uh…no.
The point is, It’s not the clothes or the makeup, it’s the person. I would like to meet this principal and teach him a lesson on eyeliner…*grumbles*
Wow, Misty, I’m so glad your children did so well at their school, considering their mother doesn’t know how to spell. ‘aloud’? let’s try ‘allowed’. Maybe you were too busy in English class checking your make-up! I’m all for free expression for our kids in school. The principal should be more concerned that we are now ranked 24th in the world in education, and put as much, if not more, effort into passing funding for better curriculums and raises for teachers.
Thank you to the person who gave the principals email I emailed them with the following. Hope I made my point.
Dear Principal,
I am very certain that your email box is being flooded out by witches and the like over your ruling of the young men in eyeliner. I on the other hand applaud your efforts to protect the youth of America. I do have a question though where exactly did you get your knowledge on the Witchcraft and Satanist symbols? I assume you have an expert on hand to explain to you what exactly each of the symbols meant. I would suggest if not that you immediately hire an expert or three, since most learned witches are not Satanist and most Satanist are not witches however we do get a few cross over. Lets see you will need to hire a Wiccan and a witch because as they say all Wiccan’s are witches but not all witches are Wiccan. Oh wait you will need more than that since there are many pagan beliefs and no one or even a dozen people can cover it all for you. Then you will have to add to the payroll a Satanist of at least the Warlock level since if my information is correct that is the lowest level someone in the Church of Satan can speak for the church to outsiders. Of course you will also have to hire a few gangsters since you need to be absolutely certain you are getting the markings correct you know to save you from those pesky lawsuits. Or and this is just an idea you can pull your head out of the coxas area of your back and allow those young men back into school allow them time to makeup any work and remove the absences from their records.
Cordially
M.H.B.
Co Founder Ft. Wayne Dark Witches Coven
I wear eyeliner occasionally but that’s not because I’m a satanic freak its because i think it looks cool and I am into punk music so that school has no right to single out kids that want to be different and unique and not like every single kid in that school. we have our rights too.And when did wearing make-up only be for girls mostly everyone on TV wears make-up. so ya take that…
Hello Ms. Wigington, this is Derek Axel Rose, the boy who was suspended.
Yes, it is very ridiculous, I have worn eyeliner and what not for well over a year now.
I am very well known at school by all the staff and students alike. They all explain me as very charasmatic, pollite, and unique.
If one wants to go by ‘clicks’, I would say I’m a Goth. How I dress and the make up I wear simply look cool in my opinion. I just want to be different, and express myself.
I have never even been in a fist fight with someone, being Gothic is about being tolerant and accepting of others and their personalities, and not being violent.
It is a BIG misconception that Gothic people are violent, infact, we are some of the nicest people you will ever meet.
I was asked on the first day of school to remove my eyeliner by the principle after passing through the lunch line, I shrugged it off though, because I thought he was just in a foul mood for some reason. Conversely, on the second day of school I was forced to remove it. When my girlfriend(who is Roman Catholic, Punk, on the academics team of excellence and is in the top twenty of our 2009 class)saw me, she thought I was going to cry.
Honestly, I felt like I had been stripped of my identity, only because some ignorant person didn’t like me without even really knowing me.
I requested a meeting with the principal, before heading off to sixth period. When I asked him why I could not where it, he got a look on his face, like he was satisfied with being on some power trip. He then told me, “Derek, when young men wear eyeliner, it is considered unacceptable by society, and is a trademark of delinquent behavior that involves drug use, gang membership, devil worshiping, violence, cult membership, and being a witch. Not only that, but your face paint makes it impossible for other students to feel safe, or concentrate on their work without being completely and totally distracted. I can’t a threat like this in my school.”
After that, I felt like I was being labeled synonymous with the visage of a terrorist. A ‘threat’? I am a ‘drug addict’? I ‘worship the devil’? I’m in a ‘Gothic Gang’? All of this was news to me.
This was a slap in the face. I have never seen kids running from me in fear, or staring at me so hard, with unbreakable concentration, that they become overwhelmed by my EYELINER, and then they become disoriented and fall down the steps.
I want to know how the meat head sports athletes in my Algebra II class aren’t in trouble. They show NO respect what-so-ever for Ms. Kearse, blurt out random ignorant things in tandem during class, belligerently exacerbate the teacher, and make inappropriate and indecent remarks about the girls in my class. There are girls that walk around in short shorts with their thongs hanging out, there are boys wearing undershirts, the Jocks paint their faces as well as the cheerleaders, there are kids wearing rebel flags and Jack Daniels advertisements (all of those violate the dress code)…
-And I’m a distraction???
That is the only thing that Goth’s discriminate by, the attainable, equal, opportunity criterion of intelligence; WE DON’T LIKE IMBECILES.
So, I posted a bulletin on myspace about it, and over twenty of my friends agreed to wear my eyeliner to school, including my girlfriend.
Now, you see…I’m the only person who wears my eyeliner the way I do, and the only one in red Tripp Pants, and a Tripp Jacket reminiscent of ‘Edward Scissor Hands’, I paint my nails black, and my hair is long and black with blood red streaks. In fact, many girls at my school find me attractive, even the preppy girls. They respect me for my personalty. I enjoy metal music, old school punk, and hardcore rap. My clothing is simply a reflection of that. If I were leading a satanic ‘gang’, wouldn’t there be a whole BUNCH of people who looked like me?
Besides, what person in a gang wears eyeliner? If there is someone in a gang who wears eyeliner, they deserve to be slapped; that’s just stupid.
The other thing is, being Wicca or Pagan, or Gothic, or a Satanist, are all completely different things than worshiping the Devil. And to tell the truth, if everybody ran around looking like me, I wouldn’t want to look like me.
So the next day, my friends are wearing my eyeliner, and I get escorted to the office along with my girlfriend, and my friend Michelle; my other friends got away and went to class.
I go into the office and my Mother is there, and she’s saying to the principle, “I have over FIFTY pages of stuff here about gang membership, drug use, and devil worship, and none of them have anything to do with eyeliner or anything Derek stands for.”
Mr. Dellinger’s reply is, “Well mam, I could sit down and find just as many articles in my favor.”
So my mother tells him, “Oh really? I challenge you to, sit here and prove it.”
The Principle looked up at the ceiling, his face got very red, and he let out a long, frustrated sigh before looking at us both again, and replying, “…Well I don’t have time for that.”
“Oh, of coarse you don’t.” my mother retorted.
“You are aware that there isn’t anything in the dress code about this, you’re being a sexist, you are discriminating based of appearance, and religion and I can take you to court?” I smoothly asked him.
He then told us we were welcome do all that, and that I was suspended.
(This is the only part of your info. that was flawed, I’m seventeen years old, and it wasn’t four boys that were suspended.)
Twenty minutes later my girlfriend and Michelle were accused of being witches, and were also suspended for wearing my eyeliner.
At around twelve in the afternoon, (three and a half hours later) my best friend called me during his lunch, and informed me that I had no idea what I had started.
Richie (my best friend) informed me that over HALF THE SCHOOL was wearing my eyeliner, if they didn’t have eyeliner, kids would go into the bathrooms with black and red Sharpe’s and apply it to their eyes. Not only that, but the school administrators were straight grabbing kids that appeared Gothic, or were wearing eyeliner and either made them wash off their eyeliner, or, they were suspended and sent home. So far, they had suspended over thirty kids wearing eye make up.
One of my other friends was told to turn his shirt inside out because it said, “VOTE FOR SATAN”.
It was a total re-run of the, ‘Salem Witch Trials’ at Hedgesville High.
But I ask you, is tearing kids out of their classes and lunches, making them scrub their faces, berating them, and sending them home a bigger distraction to the learning process…or is my eyeliner?
The principal lied to the local news, they were told only four students were suspended, and the local newspaper was told that no students were suspended.When actually, by the end of the school day, over forty two kids had been suspended.
Since then, my friends and I have started a petition to press charges against the principal, so far, we have over five hundred signatures, and the completed petition will be handed over to an attorney at law.
Once Mr. Dellinger became aware of this, he has continued to allow me to wear eyeliner.
…This is bullshit. I just want to wear my eyeliner. I appreciated everyone wearing my eyeliner after my suspension. But I hate all this attention, I didn’t want to get suspended, or make people angry, or rebel against authority, or make a chaotic scene, of have over a hundred people running around looking like me.
That’s the exact OPPOSITE of what I wanted. I just want to wear my eyeliner. Never once has another student told me they didn’t like it, in fact, most people complement me on it, and daring to be different. That’s what I like, that’s the way I want it to be.
-Derek
Derek, thanks for sharing your side of the story with us. I’m glad to hear that they’re letting you wear your eyeliner now, but it’s a shame that the threat of a lawsuit is what it took for the principal to relent.
Also, big props to your mom for standing up for you. I suspect there are many parents who would have just said, “Oh, stop arguing and take off the eyeliner.”
Best of luck to you, and your friends. I hope the school administrators can learn that just because someone looks different doesn’t make them “bad” or “evil.”
patti
Go Derek!!!! I admit I have not read everything in this thread nor any previous or alternate coverage of the incidents but seriously, EYELINER?!?!?! I agree with Derek - there is soooo much more to be all het up about! And the things he mentions are the barest tip of the iceberg. And hello, Johnny Depp + Eyeliner = OMG YUMMY! lol
You go derek!!!
I agree 100% with you on each and everything you said.
I would love to see your myspace page to see how you wear your eyeliner.
I very impressed by your maturity and saddened by the opinions expressed by your principle… i wish you much luck in the future, you have proved you are meant for bigger thing… blessed be
Bravo Derek! I am a mother of a Goth teen and I am proud of her individuality. I have witnessed the ignorant bigotry of school, authoitarian figures, and parents alike. I have had parents ask me how I can allow my child to shop at Hot Topic, or how I could ever walk in “that” store. Their intollerance only makes us that much more tolerant. Good for your mother, good for you!
Be an individual, stand for what is right for you, and know you are not alone. The only way to educate the masses that “different” is not inherantly evil, is to continue to let yourself shine while they flail away and make fools of themselves.
You have my uttmost support!
Abby
Way to go Derek!!! ((((HUGS)))) (Yes, I’m a huggy Witchy mom…lol.) And many kudos for your mother for standing up for your rights. You sound like a very level-headed young man whom anyone would be proud to call their son and friend.
Your principal needs to get his priorities straight. The world is not going to implode if a young man wears eyeliner. Your mother did a great job bring the documentation to the principal proving your, and her, point.
Keep up the great work, be yourself, stand for your beliefs, and know that many, many people support you!
*Just wondering….did the principal make the female teachers wash off their eyeliner? Now that I would have loved to see.*
Bravo!!!!
Way to go! I’m glad that there are more people standing up for what’s right. Principals don’t know what to do when you question their inaccurate judgments beside suspend you. I once wore some pants to school that had some serious holes in them, but my underwear were covered, so it was more like I was wearing the same amount of clothing as shorts, they just has torn up legs. The Superintendent saw me, and said my pants were really close to the point of that I needed to be sent home and change. I basically shrugged it off due to the fact that he and the principal allowed girls to go around in shorts so short you could ‘literally’ she the bottom of their butt cheeks.
Thank you for sharing Derek =D
Conform or be cast out? Closed minded principal has the problem. Phobic maybe. Go Derek. Sincerely,Grandmother of 7.
Derek,
For I’m from WV and I didn’t hear about this until now. WOW! I have a son that is 6yr old and I can get my nail polish out and when I do he wants me to paint his nails black. For I don’t see anything wrong with it but my mom does not like it.
For I told him once he gets old enough if he wants to ware make-up I have no trouble with that, just don’t over do it.
If you would give me the link I would put my name on the petition, plus I also have a close friend who would put her name on it also for she has a daughter who dresses like a goth. So I know she would put her name on the petition.
I’m behind you all the way don’t let them put you down or make you stop being who you are.
Blessed Be,
Billie Joe aka Lady Arctic
Its blatantly obvious to me that this principal knows nothing about kids. It amazes me that someone who knows so little about kids is in a position of authority. He needs to do his research on gangs, religious freedom and freedom of expression. Its people like him that invite rebellion in so many kids because people like him do not understand kids. Kids of this age are looking for who they are, their own individuality. I’d be interested to see how his own children rebel against him…
If your comfortable going to school dressed in whatever you feel comfortable in and not hanging out of. . that’s fine. You go to school to learn not to be fashioned editorial. Bet they wouldn’t have a problem about a girl wearing a dress or guys that wear dress pants and they stand out more than most students except for senior pics day.
Holy hell, I’ve never seen a 17 year old boy explain his side of the story with such eleoquence. Good for you for actually knowing how to speak English
I find it funny how adults act like children most of the time. If something wasn’t going in the way that your principal expected, it seemed as if he acted like a three year old who didn’t get candy.
But it’s okay for him to act like that, right? He IS the principal. (sarcasm)
Derek,
I, too, am really, really proud of both you and your mother. My three (now grown) children were so fortunate to go to a small eclectic, VERY understanding school in High School. They were not only accepted for their individuality, but it was kind of expected. My own son graduated as Valadictorian - with a 6 inch green mohawk! Like the other huggy witchy Mom - hugs to you and your family and friends. You have the support of this little “different” family in Michigan. You ROCK!!!
Coughing in Church = SECRET Devil Worship
Time to delivered Amen