From the Boston Herald for Dec. 15:
An 8-year-old special needs student from Taunton was sent home from school and ordered to undergo psychological testing after drawing a stick-figure picture of Jesus Christ nailed to the cross, when asked by his teacher to depict what Christmas means to him.
Toni Saunders, an educational consultant with the non-profit Associated Advocacy Center in Sandwich, who was asked to help the family by their pastor, told the Herald, “I heard the story and I was appalled, to put it mildly.”
The Maxham Elementary School second-grader was booted from the school on Dec. 2 when school officials feared his artwork might be exposing violent tendencies, but was allowed to return on Dec. 7 after a two-day evaluation by a psychiatrist determined there was nothing wrong with him, Saunders said.
“My intention is to shed light on what is happening to children in schools because of zero tolerance,” she said. “I’m sure they expected Santa Claus or a reindeer, but that’s not where this child’s mind was.”
The boy’s father, Taunton school janitor Chester Johnson, 40, “just wants to get his son out of the school. His son is really traumatized from this event,” she said.
Johnson was also quoted as saying today he wants an apology from the school - “for his family and my kid.”
The drawing shows a crucified Jesus with Xs over his eyes, signifying his death.
The boy drew the picture shortly after visiting the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attelboro to see its Christmas display.
Taunton School Superintendent Julie Hackett said she could not discuss an individual student and did not address the drawing specifically or the teacher’s reaction to it, but did say the school has safety protocols in place that were followed.
“This is one of those ‘How is this possible?’ scenarios,” Saunders said. “We live in a society where we’re supposed to honor children and their imagination.”
An 8-year-old special needs student from Taunton was sent home from school and ordered to undergo psychological testing after drawing a stick-figure picture of Jesus Christ nailed to the cross, when asked by his teacher to depict what Christmas means to him.
Toni Saunders, an educational consultant with the non-profit Associated Advocacy Center in Sandwich, who was asked to help the family by their pastor, told the Herald, “I heard the story and I was appalled, to put it mildly.”
The Maxham Elementary School second-grader was booted from the school on Dec. 2 when school officials feared his artwork might be exposing violent tendencies, but was allowed to return on Dec. 7 after a two-day evaluation by a psychiatrist determined there was nothing wrong with him, Saunders said.
“My intention is to shed light on what is happening to children in schools because of zero tolerance,” she said. “I’m sure they expected Santa Claus or a reindeer, but that’s not where this child’s mind was.”
The boy’s father, Taunton school janitor Chester Johnson, 40, “just wants to get his son out of the school. His son is really traumatized from this event,” she said.
Johnson was also quoted as saying today he wants an apology from the school - “for his family and my kid.”
The drawing shows a crucified Jesus with Xs over his eyes, signifying his death.
The boy drew the picture shortly after visiting the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attelboro to see its Christmas display.
Taunton School Superintendent Julie Hackett said she could not discuss an individual student and did not address the drawing specifically or the teacher’s reaction to it, but did say the school has safety protocols in place that were followed.
“This is one of those ‘How is this possible?’ scenarios,” Saunders said. “We live in a society where we’re supposed to honor children and their imagination.”
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