From the NY Post:
NEW YORK — A 14-year-old New Jersey schoolboy [Scott Switzer, of Colts Neck] — whose dad [a Navy engineer aboard the USS Detroit in the Persian Gulf] and stepdad are in the military — was suspended for five days because he drew a “patriotic” stick figure of a U.S Marine blowing away a Taliban fighter, officials said yesterday. “He’s been punished for the drawing,” said Tinton Falls [Middle] school superintendent Leonard Kelpsh. “We felt it was highly inappropriate, and we took it very seriously.”
…Scott, who turned 14 Tuesday and was headed back to school Wednesday, said he was unjustly disciplined for his sketch of “a war scene.” “Truth be told, it’s a Marine shooting a terrorist Taliban,” he told The Post. “It’s just a picture. What upsets me most is that the principal would dare say it’s not normal. To me, it’s patriotic.”
…a local psychologist who examined the teenager said the sketch was benign…Scott’s mother said school officials described the drawing as “not the work of a normal mind.” Scott said he understood the school’s concern for student safety, but was offended by the principal’s comments. “Truth be told, I’m more upset that he’d insinuate that I’m mentally unstable,” he said. “I’m the class clown. I’m not a bully.” [“‘Patriotic’ Stick Figure Drawing Troubles School“, October 29, 2003]
No Scott you are the class hero. The bullies are the monsters who run your school. Compare this action to the professor in the U.S. who advocated the death of American soldiers:
At an anti-war “teach-in” this week, a Columbia University professor called for the defeat of American forces in Iraq and said he would like to see “a million Mogadishus” — a reference to the Somali city where American soldiers were ambushed, with 18 killed, in 1993. “The only true heroes are those who find ways that help defeat the U.S. military,” Nicholas De Genova, assistant professor of anthropology at Columbia University told the audience at Low Library Wednesday night. “I personally would like to see a million Mogadishus.” The crowd was largely silent at the remark. They loudly applauded De Genova later when he said, “If we really believe that this war is criminal … then we have to believe in the victory of the Iraqi people and the defeat of the U.S. war machine.” … [Teach-in organizer Eric] Foner said that because of the university’s tradition of freedom of speech, it was unlikely De Genova would suffer professionally in any way because of what he said. “A person’s politics have no impact on their employment status here, whether they are promoted, whether they are fired or whether they get tenure,” Foner said. [Newsday, 3/27/03]
Related: Academic “Freedom” at Columbia U. and Columbia’s Anti-American Professors and Freedom of Speech.