Supt. denies suspending boy for drawing

TAUNTON, Mass. (AP) - The Taunton School District on Tuesday night denied a father's claims that his son was suspended for drawing a stick figure of Jesus on a cross.

School superintendent Julie Hackett said in a written statement that the second-grade student was never suspended over the sketch and that a drawing circulated to reporters by the boy's father, Chester Johnson, is not the same one that was discovered by the teacher.

Taunton School Committee Chair Jody Almeida told Eyewitness News, "Regarding this issue we have complete faith in our superintendent to do the right thing. She's done a thorough investigation and we stand behind any decisions 150 percent."

Superintendent Hackett also denied that the boy and his classmates had been assigned to draw something that reminded them of Christmas or any other religious holiday.

Johnson claimed his son was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation after the drawing was discovered.

"This incident occurred nearly two weeks ago, it was handled appropriately, and the school staff and family had been working together in a cooperative and positive manner," the district said in a statement posted on its Web site.

School officials did not specify any action they took, but said they followed "well-established protocol," including reviewing the child's records and consulting with school psychologists.

"It is unfortunate that the actions of our district staff have been classified as "religious" in nature when, in fact, they were based solely on the well-being of the student," Hackett statement said.

Johnson said earlier Tuesday that his son made the drawing Dec. 2 just days after the family had visited the holiday lights display at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro, where, he said, his son seemed taken with the religious statues he saw there.

"When he seen the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross, that's what he drew," Johnson said. "He liked that. That drew his eye."

Johnson told reporters that administrators at the Maxham Elementary School were concerned the boy drew Xs for Jesus' eyes, and particularly worried when his son said he'd drawn himself on the cross.

He said his son was suspended and ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation. But the school district said it's unclear whether the boy even drew that particular sketch in school.

The Rutherford Institute, an international, nonprofit civil liberties organization issued the following statement on the incident:

“This is a case of overreaction by school officials,” said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute. “Jalen’s drawing was simply a reflection of something he saw at a Christmas light show. The psychological damage to this family is appalling, and it is a clear-cut violation of their constitutional rights.”