Senior Picture

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Rhode Island's education commissioner ordered a high school on Friday to publish a yearbook photo showing a teenage medieval enthusiast with a sword.

Portsmouth High School authorities can regulate editorial content in the yearbook, but they acted unreasonably by rejecting Patrick Agin's photo, hearing officer Paul Pontarelli wrote in a ruling approved by Education Commissioner Peter McWalters.

Agin, a 17-year-old fan of the Middle Ages, wore chain mail and slung a prop sword over his shoulder for his senior portrait at Portsmouth High School. School officials said the picture violated a zero-tolerance policy on weapons and rejected the picture for the yearbook.

The Rhode Island branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents Algin's family, has argued that the school has allowed students to pose for more than a decade with props that show their interests, including musical instruments and horses.

Portsmouth Schools Superintendent Susan Lusi did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment Friday night.

In the ruling, state education officials wrote that school officials offered to publish Agin's photo if it was part of a paid yearbook advertisement.

"Tolerance for weapons can be purchased," Pontarelli wrote. "This is illogical."

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I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that this kid probably gets laid all the time. I bet he has a hard time getting through airport security check points. ZING! *Rimshot* YIKES! Cheers to Patrick. He draws the line at the ubiquitous striped button down shirt. He takes his senior pictures with a true sense of style and inteligency*.

This story reminds me of a University of Iowa organization that B used to belong to. It was a club where members would dress up like a bunch of jerks, every Monday in Hubbard Park they would swing fake weapons at each other. Maybe he can elaborate on the subject in a future blog. He spoke very highly of the organization. A less secretive version of the Skulls, the Northern Illinois University chapter. Most of its members are now high ranking officials of the IOA (Interns of America).

* not a word