Strike 1, You’re Out
Raven Furbert, 12, has four relatives in the military stationed in Iraq, including her uncle. To help her remember them, she wore a patriotic red, white and blue necklace, a Christmas gift. But officials at Mont Pleasant Middle School in Schenectady, N.Y., told her the beaded necklace is contrary to the school’s dress code, which bans “gang-related” clothing. They said if she continued to wear it in any visible place, she would be suspended. When they discovered she was wearing the beads hidden — not visible — they told her to remove them. Furbert’s mother, Katie Grzywna, says the girl was previously a good student, but is now frequently targeted for detention, so she has filed a federal lawsuit against the school. “I’ll be really glad when this is all over,” Raven says. “I just want to wear them for my uncle” in Iraq. (Albany Times-Union) ...Who, if you asked him, would say he’s there to fight for our freedoms.
Available in This is True: Book Collection Vol. 11