AUBURN — The Auburn School District is permitting a boy at Gildo Rey Elementary to bring a dagger to school for religious reasons.
The district says it's an exception to its zero-tolerance policy for weapons.
Assistant Superintendent Ryan Foster tells KING the knife is to remain under the boy's clothes at all times.
The small ceremonial knife called a kirpan is considered an instrument of social justice in the Sikh faith.
A Sikh student has been allowed to bring a dagger, called a Kirpan, to school because it is a part of his religion. The knife is ceremonial and carrying it is apparently part of the Sikh faith.
Meanwhile, a different student (not the same school or district) was suspended for wearing a shirt in support of the 2nd Amendment, because it had an image of a firearm on it.
Here's my view: I think that allowing people to practise their religion, be what it may, is important. However, there are certain religious practises which ought to be, at least, regulated, given the chance that it may inflict harm upon others. For example, if one were to demand that they be allowed to sacrifice humans for religious reasons, would we give them the green light? I don't think that bringing knives to school, even ceremonial ones, is appropriate, even if motivated by religious beliefs, for the sole purpose that it may be used to harm others. Now, I am not aware whether or not the knife is actually kept sharp (though I'm assuming it is), nor whether it actually does have the potential to be used as a weapon. Nonetheless, I don't think it sends the right message that one should be allowed to bring weapons into schools (speaking of which, another school shooting occurred just recently), simply because of their religious beliefs. What do you think?
