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Education

School Allegedly Asks Deaf Preschooler to Change His Name Because Sign Language Version Resembles ‘Weapons’

Aug. 28, 2012 1:00pm Erica Ritz

Deaf Preschooler Hunter Spanjer May Change Name Because Sign Resembles Weapons

Hunter Spanjer demonstrates the sign for his name. (Photo: 10/11)

A deaf 3-year-old from Nebraska is being asked by the school district to change his name, his family alleges, because the way he refers to himself in sign language resembles “weapons.”

Apparently the Grand Island school district has a policy that prevents students from bringing “any instrument…that looks like a weapon” to school, and now hands can be considered “instruments.”

“Anybody that I have talked to thinks this is absolutely ridiculous. This is not threatening in any way,” Hunter Spanjer’s grandmother Janet Logue said.

Brian Spanjer, the boy’s father, added: “It’s a symbol. It’s an actual sign, a registered sign, through S.E.E. [Signing Exact English]”

Hunter signs his name by crossing his middle and index fingers– leaving his thumbs up– and then wagging his hands.

Watch an interview with the family, and a demonstration of the gesture:

The school is claiming the entire matter is a “misunderstanding” — but still wants Hunter to change his name.

Administrators say the issue has nothing to do with guns or weapons, just that the gesture is “not an appropriate thing to do in school.”

School spokesman Jack Sheard told the New York Daily News that rather than the condensed sign he uses now, they want him to spell out his name, letter by letter.

“We want to do what is best for every student in our district, and we care more about that than everything else,” Sheard remarked. “We are working with the parents to find the best solution we can.”

Apparently, local residents are not pleased with the school district.

Grand Islander Dana Schwieger said: “It’s his name…It’s not like he’s going to bring a gun to school when he’s 3-years old.”

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Comments (271)

thomasrayw
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:43pm
Maybe the school should change their name. They are called “Grand Island”, yet they are landlocked in Nebraska. Idiots.

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PhineasJWhoopee
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:32pm
The Progressive NAZI’s are goose stepping their way through the school system, indoctrinating with a vengence.

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HaroldHeard
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:13pm
You must be kidding me, the response from the parents should be “I Will Not Comply”, period.

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grannyjojo
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:13pm
Without a doubt the most INSANE thing I’ve heard today! Whoever thinks this is a good idea needs to be FIRED. I’d tell them to their face, I’d sue them, I’d do whatever it took. I have to say that mere words cannot express what I’m thinking and how stupid, absurd, ridiculous, mean spirited, etc and WRONG this is

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marcus_arealius
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:04pm
Schools are infested with morons instead of teachers, pedophiles instead of administrators.

Clean it up either the easy way or the hard way.

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jackact
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:02pm
I bet avowed liberals, Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan would take issue with this.

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Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:57pm
Should have made the kid a “Social Experiment” and named him “Gay Jesus Hater”.
He would have had it made through out the rest of his school life.

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The Gooch
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:50pm
Conform! Conform, damn you!! Why are you acting like you can’t hear me!!!

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jimbo_from_suwanee
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:49pm
Liberals want to micro-control everything. Who would be willing to beat that the school district involved is heavily influenced by the one of the liberal teacher union thugs groups? Anybody willing?

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- The Gooch
  Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:03pm
  I’d be willing to beat someone over this story.
  
  Report this comment
mikenleeds
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:46pm
get your kids out of public socialist schools

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Bobj_1960
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:41pm
What is the hand sign for the Indian (oops Native American) name for Goose That Leads Flock ?

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amfriday
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:41pm
Are you kidding me? That is the stupidest thing I have ever read. The child is deaf and now you want him to change his name. He knows what his name is and how to sign it. Leave the kid alone. Only someone who is stupid would associate his signing of his name with weapons. Get a life.

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lembrandt
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:40pm
This is so incredibly *sick* that it is mind boggling. We have to get politically correct, progressive people out of this society. Elect them out, throw them out, scrape them off the bottom of your shoe, if necessary – but get them and their twisted, insane ideology out of this country and Western Civilization.

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woodyee
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:40pm
Just dawned on me –

ANY of you guys out there have an “in” at the RNC convention – text a Conservative and pass the word – Have them ALL cheer “PRESIDENT RYAN!” when he steps up on the stage. If THAT doesn’t chill Romney’s uncontrollable urge to pacify the McCain wing of the Repubs, nothing will. PASS THE WORD!

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- thomasrayw
  Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:46pm
  Isn’t the McCain wing…just McCain himself?
  
  Report this comment
steveh931
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:39pm
“Anybody that I have talked to thinks this is absolutely ridiculous.

I concur.

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BloodSweatandTears
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:38pm
Oh no! Put those fingers DOWN before they go off!!!!!

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Smokepole
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:36pm
The SD administration, and in particularly the fool that started this, have gone so far past normal that it isn’t even funny. What a bunch of A$$H0LES!

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grimmster
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:30pm
Have Hunter change it to , Liller,THEN see what they say, as for this retarded liberal school board,fire these idiots, then fry them, people this stupid dont deserve to walk this planet……

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right-wing-waco
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:29pm
This has to be the stupidest PC thing the lefties have ever done. I would tell them it will be a cold day in lefty hell before we will change his name to suit you. Why don’t we ban all words that refer to any weapons of any kind, just remove them from all dictionaries. Then all our problems will be solved.

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jfriedri
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:27pm
Ask yourself this: If these school administrators are SOOooo DUMB, then do you think they know how to hire smart, intelligent, able teachers???

This would be a big RED FLAG telling me to get my kid the HECK OUT THERE!

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912always
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:26pm
Maybe we should just name every child generic 1, 2 3, etc., because their names might offend someone, kinda like Obama.

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Balrog28
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:24pm
Just sent a comment via http://www.gips.org/contact_us

I asked them if they were going to ban pencils because they resemble weapons if you hold them just right – utterly ridiculous!

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countryfirst
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:24pm
This is just too stupid to even comment about.

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OniKaze
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:21pm
This is completely stupid and the family should tell the school to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine…

That being said, there are TONS of names that are “Banned” and the list varies from country to country…

Example, I cannot remember which countries, but there are many that have outlawed the names: Adolf, and Hitler, and various other controversial names…

This happens everywhere (even in the U.S.) it just isn’t widely reported..

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calamityjane85
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:21pm
Wow everyday i read these stories I say to myself, ” dang I’ve heard it all!” and everytime the news gets even more ridiculous. I hate liberal thinking.

HOMESCHOOL!!!!!!!!!

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