Boy Gives Up Sexy Backpack After Principal Gets Excited ... That Is, 'Upset'

Every student has the right to (almost) free speech. Freedom of expression is another story. Any student should be able to walk into school and state their opinion as they please without retaliation. However, things like this, that are obviously disruptive, are often banned, for understandable reasons. Generally I'm all about freedom of expression and I love the style of the backpack (I'm a tattoo fan, what can I say) but it is a bit risqué for fourth grade.

This is not an isssue of free speech. It is an issue of commonsense. The father obviously does not have a clue as to what is proper and ok for is kid, any kid as far as that goes, to even own at this age. Any right thiking adult that does know know this, well I feel sorry for you and your parents.

Are you all idiots?! I remember back in the 70's and 80's this kind of graphic art was all over schools, mostly on T-shirts. Have we taken several steps back into the dark ages? Get your minds out of the gutter idiots; this art does not have to mean what your hate mongering conservative brainwashing forces you to default on.

People, this isn't about freedom of speech or self expression. It is about what is age appropriate for school and that backpack is not meant for an elementary school student. It is for a high school or college student. It's a cool pack but parents get real and stop treating children as if they are adults because they aren't. Be a parent and stop letting the kids run the aslyum called home. Until we do the world and especially America will continue falling into the sewer and other countries will pass us by. GET REAL!!

"Fred Ferrer, the boy's father, challenged the decision as censorship and vowed to fight after the school board declined to intervene"

We live in such a graceless age.

I agree!! This father is the reason that most young men have no respect for women...

Jeb, you must be kidding. When it comes to these kinds of issues, I'm as against "censorship" as the next guy, but c'mon; this kid is in 4th grade. Just cause dad says it's ok, doesn't make it so. I keep saying this country is devolving into a cesspool because of permissive parents of this degree, and people like you.

Are you 9 too???

there is nothing artistic about that backpack. if you want to encourage artistic expression get your examples from the Museum of Modern Art or some similar museum.

whatever someone creates is artistic because it took imagination to create it. Just because it doesn't belong in a museum's section of renaissance art doesn't mean it is not art, its just a different category of art.
Yes this back pack is risque for an elementary student but as for it being disruptive I don't see it being disruptive for more that 30 minutes. The only reason it would be more disruptive is because the adults make a big deal about this bag. Because the kids see the adults having issues with the bag, labeling it a taboo, they become more interested in the bag and want to see it more.
The boys teacher was probably a feminist who reported the bag to the principle. The Principle probable told him to change bags because it was disruptive, not because the students were going crazy over it, but because the teacher was making a big deal over.

Only a moral degenerate would say free speech instead of protecting the little boy from this. What type of morals do u have? Must be a gay or liberal. They put free sex above everything. Like talking to the insane. If there is filth on a kid's tv program they say,,'they see worst in the world." Condoning sexualization of children.

@Shadowcat: But of course adults are going to make a stink. That is what makes this disruptive. And it'd last for more than 30 minutes among kids. More like 30 minutes every few weeks, without encouragement from adults. But largely, they probably wouldn't care, you're right. He was teased by his classmates because of the reaction to it, according to the article.

You call sending your child to school with a blatantly sexually suggestive backpack strong values! I'm glad you're not having any kids too!