UPDATE: Thanks to the efforts of David Morales's school superintendent, plastic green soldiers wielding the "tools of a profession or service" (i.e. guns) may be allowed in the school as student expression of patriotism and democracy. The superintendent acknowledged that the school's policy banning the army men had been misrepresented in this case, and the patriotism David displayed by gluing the toys to his hat ought to be protected. Thanks to the Coventry School District for reconsidering the policy and acknowledging the overly restrictive nature of it in this case. Schools are learning environments and function at their pinnacle when students learn from teachers and when administrators and teachers learn from their students, as well.

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An 8 year-old boy was banned from wearing his hat to school. Why, you ask? Because he had decorated it with some of his toys, of course.

To find the dangerous and offensive toys, one needs to look no further than the popular movie series Toy Story. They can't be found amid Sid’s room of mutant toys, but rather the culprits inhabit Andy's room, providing reconnaissance so that Andy’s toys know when to return to their places and blank stares.

Yes, it was small green plastic soldiers that got David Morales's hat banned from school, because the toy soldiers he'd glued to his camouflaged hat were carrying tiny plastic guns. The soldier's centimeter-long rifles, David was told, violated the school's policy to have no drug or gun images on shirts or clothing.

Perhaps David's teacher and school officials have been watching too much Toy Story in preparation for the release of TS3 (find showtimes), and thought the little plastic guns were actually operational. Or perhaps they were just enforcing a policy that was written too narrowly. The policy (presumably aimed at an older demographic than David) prevents students from wearing clothing showing images of drugs and guns, but was the policy meant to prevent 2nd graders like David from wearing clothing decorated with toy soldiers?

David's mother believes that the schools actions have "sent the wrong message to the kids, because it wasn't in any way to cause any harm to anyone... You're talking about Army men."

Do you agree with the school official’s enforcement of the policy?
Does your school have a similar policy? How strictly is it enforced?
Comment below.

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