North Carolina School Board Votes To Allow Facial Piercings After Lawsuit

SMITHFIELD, N.C. -- A North Carolina school system that had been involved in a dispute with a student over her nose piercing has now changed its dress code to allow such jewelry.

The Johnston County school board voted unanimously Tuesday to allow students to have nose rings and facial jewelry as long as their school principal doesn't see it as a disruption.

The school system was sued last year by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of Ariana Iacono (eye-uh-KOHN'-oh). The student said she wore a small nose stud as a reflection of her religious beliefs. The school suspended her, saying such jewelry violated the dress code.

In June, the school dropped its objections to Iacono's piercing.

Superintendent Ed Croom says Tuesday's vote is not related to the lawsuit.

Comments

[boscobear]

11:08 AM on 09/17/2011

If anyone believes this decision is not related to the lawsuit, they mus also believe in the Easter Bunny!

[zombieroses23]

08:09 PM on 09/16/2011

Seriously? Wow. I go to a small redneck-filled school where football and sports reign. Since I am not an athlete or upper-crust, I was sent home for wearing a FAKE, I repeat, FAKE lip ring. BUT, it's apparently completely fair to allow the football players show off their lovely, (extremely) well-known gang tattoos. :P You gotta be kidding me...

[drmindhealer]

11:58 PM on 09/15/2011

This is completely ridiculous. A piercing is so irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Focus on the grades, the contribution to community not whether they have a piercing. Who cares, really? When kids get to college it is a completely different world, why shelter them and leave them even more prone to rebellion and resentment? If it's no big deal now, it won't be a big deal later.

[ReverendKen]

10:18 PM on 09/15/2011

I used to live in NC not far from here and this is one very conservative area. At least it was when I lived there. It does my heart good to see that even in places that are this conservative good is winning out over evil.

[spoonbill1963]

11:05 AM on 09/15/2011

Super freak...super freak.

[SeptimusDSX]

08:52 AM on 09/15/2011

Are there not more important things to discuss at a board meeting? Principals need to show some leniency, after all things now are a lot different from back in their day. Having said that, students also need to show some respect and not try to push the buttons of the school administration.

Most of the posts here seem to shift the blame one way or the other, while in reality a little bit of understanding and moderation among both parties can go a long way. Understanding and consideration for your fellow man are values, and values do not change over time. Values may be cloaked in any culture or trend but both students and the administration should not lose sight of this.

[SoCalifTeacher]

11:46 PM on 09/14/2011

Do you think she is a straight A student?

[StevenM]

11:17 AM on 09/15/2011

Why would it make any difference?

[ReverendKen]

10:23 PM on 09/15/2011

I have my septum pierced and I was a straight A student that was accepted to Oberlin, Princeton and Bethany. I was a Biology major and Pre-med student taking honors science courses. I currently run my own business and am a productive member of my community.

So what makes you think this girl is not a straight A student?

FYI: I also have 12 other piercings and and 12 tattoos. I wear long hair and have a handle bar mustache and none of that affects my intelligence one bit.

[SoCalifTeacher]

11:45 PM on 09/15/2011

Aren't you special!?! Most freaks aren't.

[foresure]

10:20 PM on 09/14/2011

As long it has nothing to do with adolescent sexuality, it is perfectly permissible.

[MissMichelleP]

08:48 PM on 09/14/2011

I worked for Johnston County schools when I first started teaching. It's a very close-minded community, very backwoods. They're also control freaks. I can probably guess who her principal was. He used to make us walk our students, single file, in absolute silence, to all of their classes. They were in middle school. My classroom is an active place. My students talk, move around, get excited about science. He did not like that. I'm glad they overturned this policy.

[Amanda Christine Henry]

11:06 PM on 09/14/2011

Oh my? Children EXCITED about learning? We must put a stop to it at once! I didn't have fancy experiments and whatnot, and I learned pretty good.

[mooncop1]

07:49 PM on 09/14/2011

I would suggest that kids wear a cross on their t-shirt with the words In God We trust printed underneath.

[A Dub]

10:07 AM on 09/15/2011

Why

[spoonbill1963]

11:06 AM on 09/15/2011

If they did that they would be expelled.

[Conuly]

09:51 PM on 09/15/2011

And who you gonna call?

THE ACLU! Because they'd take that case in a heartbeat.

[Jenn May]

06:38 PM on 09/14/2011

Um... What religion is she following where she needs to wear a nose ring??????????

With that said, who cares? Who is the school to say what kids do with their bodies. We need to get over this stigma we have against body art, it's old school.

[Amanda Christine Henry]

11:08 PM on 09/14/2011

It's the Church of Body Modification. It's not recognized by most states as an official religion, last time I checked. I may be wrong on that, though.

[carmenalex]

11:59 AM on 09/19/2011

Also Hinduism '). The left side is the most common to be pierced in India, because that is the spot associated in Ayuvedra (Indian medicine) with the female reproductive organs, the piercing is supposed to make childbirth easier and lessen period pain.

[myprozacdream]

11:11 PM on 09/15/2011

Many Hindus and other religions from India do have specific customs to do with nose piercing.

[fgrammit]

06:21 PM on 09/14/2011

well how sweet one school district wins the right to REMOVE the preable to the constitution and the very phrse on out money and another losses the fight to keep kids from mutilating there body and faces with sometimes hidious jewlery. AMERICA freedom for all ( as long as the court agrees with those who would take yours away to give some one else theirs.

[Davi Car]

05:05 PM on 09/14/2011

High cost, poor results - America's public school system is a joke. I would never send my kids into one of those prisons; I would go to jail myself before I would put them in a public school. And this is the kind of thing the schools think will help? Banning facial piercings?

Please.

[Max Shaw]

04:56 PM on 09/14/2011

One small step at a time NC...one small step..

[spoonbill1963]

11:07 AM on 09/15/2011

Looking like a clown with your pants on the ground..........

[mcl5000]

10:56 AM on 09/14/2011

Religion or not, there's absolutely nothing wrong with "tasteful" facial piercings in schools. Also, she got suspended rather than a write up or warning? Really?

That being said, I don't think huge gauges or extreme facial piercings have a place in schools, but there's nothing wrong with the standard nose, eyebrow & lip piercings

[John MC]

02:34 PM on 09/14/2011

"but there's nothing wrong with the standard nose, eyebrow & lip piercings"

Wow do I feel old, that statment just makes me shake my head.

[mcl5000]

02:38 PM on 09/14/2011

Old, or close-minded? What's the harm in someone showing up to school with a small stud in their nose?

[Michael73501]

03:17 PM on 09/14/2011

Interesting - WHO decides now what size and shape of piercing is "nothing wrong" ??

Maybe this is what the school board was typing to curtail... Maybe?