Posted on 01/15/2011 4:27:18 AM PST by mmanager
The reception was anything but immaculate Friday, when seventh-grader Grendon Bailie wore a Franco Harris Steelers jersey to his middle school in Tacoma, Wash., on Seattle Seahawks Appreciation Day.
Grendon, 13, scored no points with administrators, who barred him from classes for not following Truman Middle School's directive that Seahawks jerseys or colors would be the only permitted exceptions from the dress code at the public school.
This time, unlike in the 2006 Super Bowl, the Steelers fell to the Seahawks -- Grendon decided to just go home rather than change out of Steelers attire. And that was fine with his parents, Jacqueline B. and Stoughton Bailie Sr., Fox Chapel and Shadyside natives, respectively, and diehard Steeler fans.
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
Today my FRiends is a throw back of a game from the past with 20 some degree weather and snow flurries. Two teams that truly hate one another and brings to the field "smash mouth football". You can bet that George Halas and Vince Lambardi will be at this game.
As Hines Ward says "this is the black and blue bowl".
One last time in the rubber match this year to shut up the murderer Lewis and the loud mouth Suggs.
Go STEELERS!!!!!!!!!
Reminds me of what the Dims do when they try to sponsor Left-Wing programs and then try to shut down Right Wing programs.
Freedom of speech so long as it is speech I agree with...
Black and Gold PING!!!!!!!!!!
In this case, I’m going to have to agree with the principal. They did not have a “wear your favorite team jersey” day. This school has a dress code that appears to be quite strict, and the principal announced what the allowable exceptions to the dress code would be on this particular day. This student violated that. I’m not sure I see what the problem is.
Now, if the school’s dress code allowed jerseys of any kind, and this kid came wearing a Steelers jersey and was harassed because they are all Seahawks fans, that would be a different story.
I want to say I can't believe the overt lack of common sense that is on display by school administrators these days. Since when do they have the legal authority to force someone to be a fan of a certain sports team?
Otherwise, students had to abide by the dress code, which for boys includes solid-colored polo shirts and either black, blue or tan slacks.
The school for most days has a pretty strict dress code. Something in this day of students wearing almost anything I know a lot of Freepers support. They relaxed it one day, but not much.
"No student was forced to wear Seahawks colors.
Ms. Flores added that Grendon could have complied with school rules and still supported the Steelers by wearing black pants and a yellow polo shirt.
But Mr. Bailie noted, "He doesn't have a yellow polo shirt. Everything is black and gold."
So wear a gold polo shirt! The dad is just making excuses at this point. Mr. Bailie conceded he "planted the seed" for his son's blitz of Seahawks Appreciation Day because he and his family have no appreciation for Seattle fans constantly bellyaching that Pittsburgh won Super Bowl XL by a score of 21-10 only because of blown referee calls.
"We take a lot of abuse from Seattle fans. I can't go to a grocery store if I'm wearing Steeler stuff -- which is always -- without hearing from little old ladies, 'You cheated in the Super Bowl.'
Here we get the the bottom line. The dad was tired of hearing it from Seahawks fans, and was using his son to strike back.
He should be teaching his son that there is a time and a place for everything, and you must show show common sense as well. Like if you show up at an opposing teams rally wearing the wrong colors, it's not going to be all hugs and kisses.
Well, if the little darlin had got the living crapola beat out of himself by other students, 99% of the people would say it was the schools fault.
Considering the excitement about this weekends playoff game... IMHO the school did the right thing.
I agree the school did the right thing.
I guess the point I was trying to get across is there is a time and a place to be a jerk. This wasn’t one of them.
If the dad was back home in Pittsburgh, and someone showed up at a Steelers event wearing a Baltimore jersey, what would the dad’s reaction have been?
More info:
This was a one day event to allow the students to wear Seahawks colors. Normally, they would be required to wear uniforms.
Perp (the kid) ASKED THE PRINCIPAL the day before if he could wear Steelers colors and was told no.
Kid went home, whined to his dad, dad said go ahead and do what you want. So kid shows up the next day wearing Steelers colors.
Kid was told he could either sit out the day in a classroom by himself, or go home. He called his dad and dad came and got him.
Kid was never “ejected” or “suspended”.
Maybe he ought to pay attention to what his principal tells him!
Amen. GO STEELERS!!
OK, I’ll bite. What if it was deemed “muslim” day and everyone were only allowed to wear traditional muslim garb and the son showed up with a cross around his neck?
Difference between Pittsburgh and Seattle is that in Pittsburgh, if one showed up at school with a Ravens or Browns shirt someone would meet you in the back alley after school. In Seattle they take it to the principle or the school board.
How many Seattle players have the balls to try and get on the Ravens bus wanting a piece of Ray Lewis? aka: Joey Porter.
Bunch of crying lib’s up there.
Bite all you want.
I’m just sittin here watching the local news and telling what happened.
For the school, it was “Seahawks Day”
Not “Free Speech Day”
I wonder if the kid was smart enough to do this knowing he’d get a day off out of it.
Boy, can the old man whine or what??
I wear Cleveland Browns and Indians jerseys and sweatshirts quite a bit here in Chicago and catch some heat for it but that just goes with the territory.
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