Jena 6 Echos, Lee's Summit West Students Suspended for using the Word "Noose"

Fox 4 News is reporting in their story Students Suspended For Talking About Nooses that some Lees Summit West band members have been suspended for having a conversation in which the word "Noose" was used.

According to Travis Grigsby and Alex Coday , they were only talking about which knots would be best used to tie up the drum equipment.

From the Fox Article:

Travis Grigsby loves playing drums, but he and his friend Alex Coday weren't able to play for two weeks after they were suspended. It started after the band's performance at a football game. Some kids on the drum line said they were talking about the best knots to use to tie up the drum equipment.

"Someone asked if anybody knew how to tie a noose and Travis did admit he knew how to tie a noose," Kim Grigsby said.

Travis' mom said her son is almost an Eagle Scout, he knew how to tie it, but told his friends he wouldn't because you could get in trouble for that. Later, a black student on the drum line told the teacher he was offended.

"Travis was accused of using a racial slur for saying the word 'noose.' Then he was suspended for 10 days," Kim said.

She said the school district accused the boys of having a racially charged conversation about nooses, but Travis and Alex insist that's not what happened.

"I don't feel they let Alex or Travis tell their side of the story," Kim said.

Alex's parents wrote to the district saying this is pushing the kids apart instead of bringing them together. Other kids and parents agree.

"We just want what's fair for our boys," Kim said. "They're good boys, get good grades, participate in school activities."

The school did shorten the kids' school suspension to only five days, but it will affect their grades.

"They are being punished beyond what is even near reasonable," Kim said.

The school district said it can't comment because of privacy issues, but said no one is aware of any racial tensions at the school. The administrators said they did investigate it thoroughly.

It is inconceivable to me that our children have to watch their conversations so closely that using the word "Noose" is grounds for a 2 week suspension. What other words are out there that carry similar penalties.

A two week suspension carries serious consequences to any student trying their best to qualify for scholarships or to just get accepted into a good college, that said, shouldn't the School District publish which words carry such stiff penalties in advance so that both students and parents are aware of them.

That of course will never happen, because the Lee's Summit School District wants to maintain the illusion that their schools are places of learning where differing opinions are openly discussed for the purpose of educating our children. In such an environment a list of words that bring a 2 week suspension for their mere mention in conversation could not exist, as the freedom of speech is essential to a quality learning environment.

And it frustrates me to no end that the school administrators hide behind their blanket policies, this time, "We cannot comment because of privacy issues". I personally experienced these outlandish blanket policies when I had a conversation with a school administrator at Lee's Summit North. I found what she was telling me was so outrageous that I felt the need to get it down on tape.

When I told her I wanted to tape what she was telling me, she said they could not allow me to because she didn't want a record of the conversation. But for the record, the Lee's Summit North School Administrator told me, is that in student disputes, there is no such thing as an innocent party.

This incident boils down to a single word, "FEAR". After the wide spread "Jena 6" news coverage where there was a nationwide outcry about a noose being hung in a tree, the Lee's Summit School District is afraid of being perceived as racist if they ignore this use of the word "Noose" in the boy's benign conversation. Remember, in student disputes, the School Administrators don't believe there are any innocent parties.

In this case, the school district is more afraid of the legal consequences of not acting than the effect of their actions on these unfortunate students.

What are the limits of Political Correctness? As a high school student, I know I found the word "Homework" offensive, I bet I'm not alone, can it be added to the district's taboo word list?

Thanks Tony, for bringing this to my attention!

Related Posts: Lee’s Summit Journal Editorial Blasts LSW Students Right to Free Speech

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