Patrick Agin is seventeen years old, attends high school in Portsmouth, Rhode Island and carries a sword on the weekends.

Well, maybe not all weekends.

Agin, who is a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism and a medieval history and warfare buff, enjoys re-enactments, sword fighting and learning to make chain mail armor. He’s approached a SCA knight about becominga squire – the first step on the road to taking a significant role in the society. On this side of the mountain, that makes him pretty much a typical teenager (our house favors siege engines and archery over swordplay, but let’s not split hairs).

Agin goes to school, seems to respect his parents (who also participate in SCA) and plans to join the military after graduating from high school.

No problem at all – until he decided to pose for his senior yearbook photo wearing chain mail andslinging a “prop sword” over his shoulder – at which time he ran afoul of Portsmouth High School’s “zero tolerance policy for weapons,” which resulted in rejection of hisphoto.

Now, let’s be clear: Seniors were apparently supposed to submit individual photographs for the yearbook, and were (also apparently) permitted to pose or frame their own images in a way that showed personality. The photo was taken off campus and didn’t include any other students. Agin wasn’t brandishing the sword in a threatening manner or engaging in violent acts. He was fully clothed and smiling.

But the photo was unacceptable because it contained a sword. And not because of the way the sword was used, held or displayed – because it was there at all.

Interesting, coming from a school whose mascot is the “Patriot” (note the URL) and which hosts something called the “Renaissance Games.”

I could understand banning a photo in which a student posed in a threateningmanner, performed violent or inappropriate acts or otherwise engaged in offensive, illegal or hostile conduct. But that’s not what Agin did. He offered a photograph showing himself in a positive light which no doubt reflects his view of himself at this phase of his life and shows how he’d like to be remembered.

In response, the school sent a clear message: people who carry weapons – even safely and with respect – aren’t the kind of people we Patriots want around.

The ACLU has apparently taken Agin’s case and filed suit against the school – pointing out that the school’s Patriot mascot sometimes appears carrying a weapon.I’m hoping they also take a long, hard look at the photos the yearbook accepted – and I’m betting Agin’s offering proves milder than many.

While I’m not in favor of policies permitting students to offer – and requiring schools to publish – any photo they wish, it sounds to me like Portsmouth is placing policy ahead of reality on this one, with inappropriate results. And while I’m certainly no fan of the ACLU (in its current incarnation, at least) I’m inclined to point out that I agree with their stance on this one.

Policies have value because they promote something worthwhile – in this case, prevention of physical harm resulting from weapons possession and use. But when administrators put form before substance, prohibiting otherwise reasonable acts purely because of a desire to strictly adhere to a policy which proves meaningless under the circumstances, they demean the policy as well as themselves.

(S)word to the wise: the policy was made forpeople, not people for the policy. It’s time to start acting that way.

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Leaning Straight Up, The Uncooperative Blogger ??, basil’s blog, Pursuing Holiness, and OTB Sports, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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