Genevieve or Shoe Diva

[naturegirl]

Or any other Catholic that might know. What's with the wearing of the Rosary?? In all my years and contact with people that are Catholic I have never seen anyone wear a Rosary. What's up with this story and is this kid telling a whopper??

Officials at a Colorado high school reportedly confiscated rosary beads from a student, claiming the religious necklace is affiliated with gangs and disruptive to learning.

Manuel Vigil, a 16-year-old junior at Thompson Valley High School in Loveland, said administrators offered no explanation when they seized the rosary beads twice since school started three weeks ago, Fox affiliate KDVR reported.

"They tell me I can’t wear them," Vigil told the station, adding that he wears the beads to protect himself from harm.

"I use them for prayer. I feel safe when I have them on," he said.

Officials, however, claim the religious necklace is not safe for school.

"That’s typically not what we want for a safe environment for school," Thompson Valley School District spokesperson Margaret Crespo told KDVR.

Crespo claims the school gave Vigil two options before confiscating the beads. She said administrators asked him to either take them off or put them inside his shirt.

"You’re not giving us an alternative than to remove it," Crespo claims Vigil was told.

But Vigil said he only got a demand from the school.

"If he would have given me that option, I would have put it in my shirt," he said.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/09/15/colorado-school-seizes-rosary-beads-from-student-calls-them-gang-symbol/?test=latestnews

 

[ShoeDiva]

I never have worn mine, my rosary is in my purse, but I have known some (elder people) that have. It is not jewelry to show off and if he was given the option to put it in his shirt I have no idea why he would not. :dunno

 

[Genevieve]

Naturegirl,

Growing up we learned to never, never, never wear a Rosary--that it's a sacramental, not a piece of jewelry.

But I think Mexican culture is a little different. For instance, they might name a son "Jesus," or paint Our Lady of Guadalupe on the back of a truck, or wear a Rosary.

That said, as SD wrote, I don't have any idea why he couldn't put it in his shirt. If he was wearing it out of devotion, surely the Good Lord would see it just as well in his shirt as out. )

 

[meandmyguys]

As G said, it's sacramental, not for decoration. I do know some people who wear one throughout the day so that it reminds them to pray and is handy for such, if this is what he was doing at his age, good for him. Hard to tell who is lying about being given the choice to put it inside his shirt. If he was wearing it for the "right" reasons, he would have no reason not to put it in his shirt. :dunno

 

[naturegirl]

Thanks y'all. That's kind of how I thought it went. I think if he truly was wearing it for the right reasons, he would have no problem putting it in his pocket. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[honeybunny]

After reading a bit more about this story I believe that the school is wrong:

http://www.reporterherald.com/news/education/ci_21537416/thompson-valley-high-school-students-rosary-beads-taken

:waggingfinger

 

[ShoeDiva]

Maybe wrong in taking them away, but if, and we do not know, they offered to let him wear them in his shirt, or carry them in his pocket and he refused, I do not see a problem in taking it away if it is a known gang thing in his area. I know that most schools do ban things at times because of gangs. Sad, but a known fact.
I would definitely have issue with him not being allowed to carry it in his pocket or a girl in her purse because it is for prayer.
Gosh I am glad my son in done with public schools. )

 

[honeybunny]

Maybe wrong in taking them away, but if, and we do not know, they offered to let him wear them in his shirt, or carry them in his pocket and he refused, I do not see a problem in taking it away if it is a known gang thing in his area. I know that most schools do ban things at times because of gangs. Sad, but a known fact.
I would definitely have issue with him not being allowed to carry it in his pocket or a girl in her purse because it is for prayer.
Gosh I am glad my son in done with public schools. )

The law is pretty clear on this, a student does not give up his constitutional right to freedom
of religious expression simply because a criminal element has misused a symbol of his faith.

 

[ShoeDiva]

Maybe wrong in taking them away, but if, and we do not know, they offered to let him wear them in his shirt, or carry them in his pocket and he refused, I do not see a problem in taking it away if it is a known gang thing in his area. I know that most schools do ban things at times because of gangs. Sad, but a known fact.
I would definitely have issue with him not being allowed to carry it in his pocket or a girl in her purse because it is for prayer.
Gosh I am glad my son in done with public schools. )

The law is pretty clear on this, a student does not give up his constitutional right to freedom
of religious expression simply because a criminal element has misused a symbol of his faith.

Okay, my personal opinion is this, if my son is going to be harmed or killed by wearing his rosary I would want someone to tell him to put his rosary away where it is not seen. Gangs do not follow the law.

 

[naturegirl]

Maybe wrong in taking them away, but if, and we do not know, they offered to let him wear them in his shirt, or carry them in his pocket and he refused, I do not see a problem in taking it away if it is a known gang thing in his area. I know that most schools do ban things at times because of gangs. Sad, but a known fact.
I would definitely have issue with him not being allowed to carry it in his pocket or a girl in her purse because it is for prayer.
Gosh I am glad my son in done with public schools. )

The law is pretty clear on this, a student does not give up his constitutional right to freedom
of religious expression simply because a criminal element has misused a symbol of his faith.

Okay, my personal opinion is this, if my son is going to be harmed or killed by wearing his rosary I would want someone to tell him to put his rosary away where it is not seen. Gangs do not follow the law.

I'm with SD on this. Having grown up in a gang neighborhood, they push the law to the limit. I think a Catholic that was using the rosary for prayer wouldn't mind putting it in his pocket. If he is Catholic, he has been taught that a rosary is not a piece of jewelry to be worn by teenagers. A priest or nun might be a different story, but not a kid.

I think nuns actually wear them in a belt on the habit.

 

[meandmyguys]

Hmmm. Rosaries with 13 beads, as well as different configurations DO exist legitimately. BUT, they are rare, specify a devotion to a particular Saint, or cause, and probably would only be used by a person with an understanding of them and deep faith. Now, I don't doubt the kid was having a rough time and he may have had good intentions in wearing them, but a person using them for the proper reasons doesn't seem to mesh with a person who is unaware of the proper number of beads and buying it at Forever21. This case is too hard to judge simply from news articles. Regardless of how this ends up, I pray for all those involved to gain a greater understanding of the power of praying the rosary!