Emotions are running high in a northern Chicago suburb when a high school student was sent home from school for wearing a Jesus costume.
The school, located in an upscale suburb, says they initially sent the boy home because they thought his costume would offend others from a religious standpoint, but his mother says she thinks it was because he was black.
Highland Park High School senior Marshon Sanders told to go home, the Chicago Sun-Tmes reports.
According to Sanders’ mother, Angenetta Frison, some faculty members found Sanders’ costume offensive. The student was permitted to return to school after changing out of the costume, Frison said.
Shortly before school let out for the day, the high school released a statement, saying that upon further review, Sanders was told he could put the costume back on.
But Frison, who met with school administrators along with her son to discuss the matter, said he chose not to do so.
“They realized they might have been premature and didn’t really assess the situation,” said Frison, who concluded that dressing as a black Jesus evoked strong emotions in the adults.
“Race is an issue in our country,” she said told the newspaper. “We still struggle with racism. I don’t know if that was a factor, but it may have been. Would a Caucasian student dressed as Jesus have had the same effect?”
Do you believe that the school had the right to take action against the student for his choice of a Halloween costume? Or does the mother have a point?
