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Student's Husband Banned From School
Categories: Teens & tweens, Health & Safety, Weird But True, Education
Reading this headline, it should be apparent that this student isn't your typical high-schooler. At 17-years-old, Brittany Engstrom is married. She's a senior at Hubbard High School in Ohio and lives with her 19-year-old husband Casey and his grandmother. It is an unusual situation made even more so by the fact that Casey is not only Brittany's husband, but because she's a minor, he's her legal guardian, too. Despite all this, officials at Hubbard High have banned him from school functions. This, they say, is due to the fact that his appearance is in violation of the school's dress code, which states that "wearing pierced jewelry on any other body part than the ear, such as nose, eyebrows, lips and tongue are not permitted." Casey has ear-stretching jewelry in his ears and lip. You know, those painful-looking rings that leave giant holes in your skin.
Casey is more than willing to compromise if it means he can escort his young wife to homecoming and prom. But his offer to remove his jewelry was turned down flat. Superintendent Richard Buchenic says removing the skin-stretching pieces "was not acceptable because fluids could still come out, and I do not want to subject our students to those fluids."
Buchenic says the district's only duty to Brittany is to provide her with an education. "She chose to get married, so this is her decision. Going to dances is a privilege, not a right," Buchenic said. "She could still attend with friends."
For his part, Casey says he is misunderstood and that Buchenic's characterization of his lifestyle as "alternative" is unfair. "That offended me," he said. "I live with my wife and two cats. How alternative is my lifestyle?" (He left out grandma.)
What do you think about this? Is the concern over fluids a valid one? Is Brittany being punished for marrying while in high school? What about the fact that Brittany herself appears to have some facial piercings? And lastly, considering the fact that Casey is Brittany's legal guardian, can they really ban him from her school functions?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Melissa 11-17-2008 @ 2:42PM
Don't really know what to say about this one! While it is weird that they got married while she was still 17 (why didn't they wait until she graduated?), she shouldn't be punished for that....I mean, what was the situation? Also, if she wasn't married, would he be banned? And why can't he cover up the piercings with make-up? And the biggest issue here is this: They CAN'T ban him from the school, he's her legal guardian! That's some irony for them, isn't it?
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hall monitor 11-18-2008 @ 12:58AM
Amazing that even after graduating, this former-student can still feel the wrath of senseless administrative policies.
Hall Monitor
http://detentionslip.org
mr41clean3 12-19-2008 @ 12:50AM
Yes he can legally be banned from coming on school property even if he is her legal guardian. It falls in the same way a legal guardian isn't allowed on school property with weapons. Or like someone who is a registered sex offender who has custody of their own children can't go on school property. (And yes there are some who have custody of their own kids but are registered sex offenders.) So anyone can be banned from school property based on the schools rules.
JamieF 1-11-2009 @ 3:03AM
I have gauged piercings as well and my sisters school does not allow them there, but they cannot ban me for it. And yes, I am their guardian. It hasn't been that long since I graduated top of my class with purple hair, a lip ring, and gauged ears. Just because you look different doesn't mean you live an alternative lifestyle. I go to church every week like most "normal" people. I think this school has gone to far. If I can graduate with honors looking the way I do then I just don't understand why they think they can ban him for a rule that is supposed to be focused on their students. Right now I attend school part time, work full time, and take care of my two daughters and my two sisters, and they would never even think to ban me from a school function just for the way I look. Oh and I wouldn't complain about her being married young either because I was 17 when I got married. Still a senior in high school. And I've been married for 5 years now. And no I didn't get married because I was pregnant for those of you who probably are thinking that since I have two daughters. My oldest is only 2 1/2 years old. Anyway I just wanted to cover the bases because I know how people can be with all of the judging others from what they have written.
Kirstie 11-17-2008 @ 2:45PM
I know plenty of people who've got gauged/stretched piercings, and I've never see any sort of 'fluid' seeping out of a piercing, except in the case of a raging, horrific infection - and even then, it's more of a crust then a liquid. That doesn't sound like a valid concern to me.
My concern is more so - if he's banned from school functions, is he allowed to attend her graduation?
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CC 11-17-2008 @ 11:46PM
Kirstie..I agree with you completely. I have a boyfriend who has several piercings...none of which "leak fluids". I think that the school/principal is just uptight and closed minded and doesn't want to admit that so he is making up B.S. rules.
She has every right to go to the prom and dances with her own husband. If this keeps up, I would call a lawyer if I were the two of them and get the school for discrimination. They have a legal right.
Especially since he is her legal guardian as well as her husband.
CC
Serena 11-17-2008 @ 3:14PM
They can't ban him from the school itself if he's coming in an official capacity.
If they have told ALL parents and guardians that they may not attend functions such as prom then there's not really all that much he can do about it. Married or not...he's her guardian in the school boards eyes and it would be inappropriate for him to accompany her as a date..
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pbhj 11-17-2008 @ 3:26PM
Here's what's messed up - she's considered a minor (at 17?) but allowed to marry. How can someone who requires a legal guardian get married .. and how does the husband become her legal guardian. Strictly that means he is supposed to act as her parent??
Weird.
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erin 11-17-2008 @ 5:50PM
this is retarded! OHIO is a messed up town.
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Jenn 11-17-2008 @ 10:55PM
Think about what you just said for a second. You're calling this situation retarded, yet you're the one who called Ohio a TOWN???
Wow
CC 11-17-2008 @ 11:54PM
Erin~~~ LMAO...some parts of Ohio are a little "backward", but it is also in the middle of the bible belt. They have their own twisted beliefs. Some over rate themselves and think that they are better than others based on appearance. They don't care about how people are inside.
ame s 11-17-2008 @ 4:59PM
"This, they say, is due to the face that his appearance is in violation of the school's dress code, which states that "wearing pierced jewelry on any other body part than the ear, such as nose, eyebrows, lips and tongue are not permitted."
Sorry, the apparent typo "due to the face" is making me giggle. Parent Dish, if you are in need of someone to proofread for you, I will do so at a very low rate ;) I have spellcheck, but don't bother to use it formy own comments, lol.
Now I'm wondering about "other" piercings. The only ones left are nipples and, um, yeah, other areas.
I'm not sure what to do say about this one either. Unless he has a new piercing/stretching, oozing shouldn't be a problem. Heck, when I had my ears pierced for the first time at 12, I looked like a walking biohazard. Don't have your ears pierced at Woolworth's, kids! Lol, as though kids even know what Woolworth's was.
He can remove the jewelry, but that won't help the "stretched out, gaping" areas. I don't see an instance where fellow students would be exposed to his fluids, but that may just be due to my ignorance/innocence ;)
My parents married when my mother was 19, my father 17, so his father had to sign a permission slip. I was born 6 months later. Ha, yes, do the math. That was almost 41 years ago, so I doubt my mother would have been considered my father's legal guardian. Even so, man, did she miss a great opportunity to order him around for 6 months, ha!
Seriously, I do wonder what people are thinking when having a stretched piercing. I can't remember the last time I ran into someone in a professional setting, such as in my financial advisor's office, where I saw gapes. People need to think about how their "right to express themselves" may close some doors for them in the future.
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Sabrina 11-17-2008 @ 5:17PM
Yup, they have a right to "ban" him from school functions where one wouldn't reasonably expect to see a guardian. But maybe not for the reason stated. Our school did not allow people over 18 to attend any functions as a guest of a student unless they were active students in OUR school. So if your 19 year old boyfriend wanted to come to prom...it wasn't going to happen. However, in regards to things like graduation and any circumstance in which a guardian is necessary (disciplinary infractions, etc) they will NOT be able to ban him. It'd be like telling your 45 year old dad with a guaged lip that he couldn't come, and they're not about to do that.
On another note, here's how you can end up married with your husband as your guardian. You're 17, your parents sign to let you get married. This does not mean legal emancipation, which is a whole different thing. Then, because you are still under 18, your parents can choose to remain your legal guardian, or give that right to your new husband. Which is aparently what happened.
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Karen 11-17-2008 @ 8:35PM
So, if the father of another student has the same piercings, would he be banned from chaperoning the dance? If not, they shouldn't ban the boyfriend either.
This is why zero tollerance rules are ridiculous. Human situations are far too complicated and intelligent people need to be empowered to make decisions.
I don't think she has a RIGHT to attend the school dance, but varing some out situation that we don't know about, let her have her dance with her husband.
This is dumb. They are just freaked out by the piercings and think he is bad and that just shows they are dumb.
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CC 11-17-2008 @ 11:59PM
Thank you so much! I couldn't agree more!!! Smart girl!
Sheila 11-17-2008 @ 9:06PM
but..if he was her older parent....they wouldn't have DREAMED of banning him from the school. its because of his age
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CLM 11-17-2008 @ 9:36PM
Um, I thought a school's dress code applied to the students. If he is not a student, then the dress code does not apply to him.
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CC 11-18-2008 @ 12:03AM
CLM!~~That was my first thought. I was thinking, what difference does it make..he isn't a student, he doesn't have to follow the dress code. ;)
BabyLove77 11-18-2008 @ 3:49PM
Sounds to me like they are afraid of other 17 y/o's getting the idea that marriage at 17 is cool or fun or whatever. Seems to me like the admin is afraid of this couple showing others that a situation like this can actually work for some.
Also, I agree with CLM - this guy is not a student and the dress code shouldn't apply to him.
brad 10-26-2009 @ 12:00AM
They can ban him from the dance b/c its a school function so you have to abide by school rules and dresscode. Weather or not they enforce it, thats up to the schools administration. But weather you attend the school or not, if you attend the school function you have to abide by the schools rules. much like the old saying no shirt no shoes no service, if you dont abide by them, they can refuse you.
Not that im agreeing with what they did, which im my opinion is Bull Shyte but none the less they can do it. I mean even if there is a big gapeing hole, its not like he cant cover it up with a bandaid or something lol.