PHS aims to disarm sword-wielding senior..is this censorship? Your thoughts

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http://www.eastbayri.com/story/310265397098437.php PHS aims to disarm sword-wielding senior PORTSMOUTH ­ Patrick Agin's portrait is welcome in the Portsmouth High School yearbook, school officials say, but that medieval broadsword over his shoulder has got to go. With yearbook photo deadline looming, Mr. Agin has not decided yet whether he'll consent to being disarmed, but the choice he says he has been offered is clear: Allow the school to crop the sword from his senior shot, provide a new picture, or go without a yearbook photo altogether. He likes none of the above. Principal Robert Littlefield declined to discuss the particulars of Mr. Agin's case, saying confidentiality concerns prevent him from talking about individual students. But "hypothetically speaking," the principal said he does not believe students should appear in the yearbook armed ­ with swords or weapons of any kind. The photo in question shows Mr. Agin wearing a chain mail coat and holding that sword over his shoulder. From his belt hang a drinking mug and what appears to be a second smaller sword. The picture has nothing to do with weapons or school safety and everything to do with one of his favorite pastimes, says his mother, Heather Farrington. "One of Patrick's extracurricular activities has been participation with his family in the SCA, the Society for Creative Anachronism." That international society, with many thousands of members, "promotes research and reenactment of the medieval period, the years 400-1600 in the then known world," Ms. Farrington said. "To reflect his passion about re-enactment and his participation with the SCA, Patrick chose to sit for his senior picture in costume, specifically, chain mail and a sword." "I tried to talk to Mr. Littlefield about it, to show him that it wasn't about weapons or school safety but about something i enjoy and that I have learned a lot from," Mr. Agin said. "And I pointed out that the the school mascot (Patriot) has a gun and a sword" ­ to no avail. He added that the cropped version "looks horrible." While neither confirming nor denying these accounts, Mr. Littlefield said, "In my position as principal I am constantly asked to make decisions that walk a fine line between individual expression and the best interests of the school." Ms. Farrington said she thinks Mr. Littlefield has "arbitrarily decided to use the school policy against weapons in school in this case ­this is ridiculous." While the sword is steel, she said, it is a reproduction, "a theater prop," not the real thing. Keeping her son's chosen senior picture out of the yearbook "isn't going to prevent violence in school in any fashion," she said. What's more, there are already weapons in school ­ "The track and field team use actual weapons on a regular basis, i.e.. the javelin and shot put." Cropping the photo without consent is not only illegal but produces a foolish looking result, Ms. Farrington said, adding that her suggestion that the school compensate them for the photo shoot was also rebuffed. "At this time I don't even know what they have chosen to use as my son's senior picture, but I am very frustrated at this whole affair," she added. Mr. Littlefield said it is important that the yearbook maintain high standards. "It represents our school to a widespread audience for a long time to come," and as such should reflect the ethics and mission of the school. Asked if he has had to intervene with any yearbook photos in the past, Mr. Littlefield said he has from time to time. "I try to strike a balance but I'm not always going to make everybody happy." BY BRUCE BURDETT bburdett@eastbaynewspapers.com