The board members at a Nebraska public school system voted unanimously this week to allow props to be used in senior photos–including firearms–as long as the students meet the school’s dress code and the photos themselves are “tasteful and appropriate.”
According to Fox News:
Broken Bow Public Schools board members voted 6-0 on Monday to allow graduating seniors the option of submitting photographs if the student has permission to reproduce the picture from the original photographer, he or she is wearing attire that complies with district standards and it does not include drugs, alcohol or tobacco. The issue arose last year when a student and his parents expressed concern that utilizing such a prop in a senior portrait was not permitted.
“If they want to submit a picture for the yearbook of them trapshooting or with a gun of some sort, that’s OK,” Superintendent Mark Sievering told FoxNews.com. “Hunting is a very important activity in this area. We are a rural community and a number of our families participate in hunting, fishing, skeet shooting, trapshooting — it’s part of life here.”
Fox reported:
At least [one] complaint from an individual outside of the 820-student, K-12 district had been received as of Wednesday, said Sievering, who acknowledged that the policy might not be for everyone.
“There are people with very strong feelings on either side of the issue, so I certainly wouldn’t just automatically dismiss somebody’s concerns,” he said. “But we hear a lot about local control of the local culture, and this is something that’s done in a way that’s acceptable to the local culture. I recognize that some people do not consider any picture with a gun to be tasteful or appropriate, but we make decision every day in school systems about what’s tasteful and appropriate.”
One such naysayer was the left-wing Mother Jones, which opined:
One would think such a bizarre proposal would prompt some level of debate, a modicum of sane opposition! After all, we’re talking about mere teenagers eerily striking poses with weapons in their adolescent hands. Alas, the idea was met with a unanimous yes by all members of the Broken Bow school board.
In an effort to make its point, the publication chose not to use an actual approved senior photo, but instead picked this image for its article:
Notice anything wrong here? Apart from the fact that the model is posed to look more like a gun moll than a shooting enthusiast, she has her finger placed firmly on the trigger, and it appears as though the weapon’s hammer is cocked. Not a very safe image to portray.
To get a more realistic idea, here’s the actual senior picture of Jillian Dixson. She “has grown up in a hunting family,” and “wanted to incorporate her rifle and her trophy from her favorite hunt, she told Brian Baer, the photographer,” according to the New York Daily News, which also reported on this story.
As for Mother Jones’ revulsion at the sight of “mere teenagers eerily striking poses with weapons,” allow me to introduce its editorial staff to Shyanne Roberts, a 10-year-old competitive shooter from Franklinville, N.J.
Western Journalism reported:
Roberts has 20 sponsors and learned firearms training at five years old. Her father, Dan Roberts, is a certified firearms trainer and a single dad with custody of Shyanne and her younger brother. Dan says he feels “very comfortable” with his daughter using a firearm.
In this video she demonstrates her skill with both a carbine and handgun. I suggest the editors of Mother Jones take their heart medication prior to viewing.
