Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network

Massachusetts Police News, Information and Discussions on MassCops

Posted by: kwflatbed


Mashpee High School students show off T-shirts they plan to wear to school tomorrow. The school received four bomb threats last week, and students hope the 'Start snitching' T-shirts will encourage communication with investigators.
(Staff photo by Steve Heaslip)


By SEAN GONSALVES
STAFF WRITER
MASHPEE - Wearing a controversial piece of urban apparel last week, a student was summoned to the office of Mashpee High School principal Ira Brown.

Printed across a stop-sign logo on the student's T-shirt were the words: ''Stop Snitchin' '' - a rebellious sentiment that highlights the sometimes tense relationship between inner-city youth and law enforcement.


A group of Mashpee High seniors wants to turn the tide. Tomorrow, about 70 seniors plan to wear a T-shirt to school that reads: ''Start snitching.''

''It's not supposed to be a protest toward people who wear stop snitchin' shirts. We took the idea and wanted to make it something positive. This is really about showing support for those who did the right thing and talked'' to investigators, Mashpee High senior Trevor Livingston said yesterday, referring to four bomb threats and a bathroom fire that disrupted school last week. ''It's not about promoting snitching. It's about doing the right thing.''

In Boston, Mayor Thomas Menino persuaded store owners to remove the ''stop snitchin' '' shirts from their shelves in December. A spokesman for the mayor applauded the effort by the Mashpee teens.

''The crux of the matter as we saw it is that it's censorship,'' Menino spokesman Larry Mays said of the shirts that urge witnesses not to talk to police. ''It's a great thing (the students) are encouraging speech.''

While some may wear the ''stop snitchin' '' shirt to make a fashion statement in a hip-hop dominated pop culture, in suburban Mashpee the T-shirt offends parents, teachers and law enforcement. Some students are intimidated by the handful of students who have worn the shirts to school in recent weeks.

Brown told a group of concerned parents at a meeting Monday night he had a long talk about heroes with the student - the one wearing the stop snitchin' T-shirt - who was brought to his office. Their ''interesting'' conversation ended with the student changing into something more appropriate and being given a summer book report assignment on ''Profiles in Courage,'' Brown said.

But that wasn't enough for some parents. One parent asked why the student wasn't suspended. When Brown explained that he had to balance between First Amendment rights and security concerns, another parent suggested Mashpee High needs a new principal.

Yesterday after school, dozens of seniors gathered on the lawn near the student parking lot and talked about the message they intend to communicate with their new T-shirts.

''We want to make a statement as seniors. We feel like we've lost some of our freedoms in school and we want to bring school morale back up,'' senior Shea Cadrin said. ''It's not that we were seriously afraid. We're more upset that it was happening.''


Livingston said the idea came out of a discussion in an advance placement European history class.

Seniors said they want their school back. ''It's like, the joke's over. It's not funny,'' said Stephen Thomas.

''This isn't something the teachers could do,'' Livingston added. ''This is something we had to do.''

Brown, who is aware of tomorrow's plans, said it's an example of students living up to the school's and their parents ideals. But, as principal, he feels obligated not to show favoritism.

''As a principal, you always have those type of concerns,'' he said. During morning announcements, he reminded students of the school's written dress code policy and the action he will take if he determines a particular article of clothing, including T-shirts with positive messages, is a distraction. ''The code says I'm authorized to have them change clothing or send them home to change their clothes,'' Brown said. ''That's what someone in the audience the other night didn't understand.''

Nevertheless, he said, it is satisfying to see high school seniors taking on a leadership role.


''I believe they're making a statement saying: 'We care about our school.' And they believe in a strong sense of civic and social responsibility,'' Brown said. ''These kids are practicing values their parents have instilled in them and hopefully we've helped to cultivate in the school system.''

Meanwhile, the bomb-threat hoax and fire investigations continue, but no arrests have been made or disciplinary action taken.

Sean Gonsalves can be reached at sgonsalves@capecodonline.com (Published: March 23, 2006)

What Mashpee High School's dress code says:

Students are encouraged to dress for school in an appropriate manner that reflects good grooming, self-confidence, and respect for others. The primary responsibility for appropriate dress lies with the student and his/her parents....

Prohibited: Clothing that could distract students from learning ... clothing that depicts obscene language and/or images of illegal or inappropriate substances for juveniles....

The administration is authorized to have the student change his/her clothing in school and and/or send the offending student home (at parent's expense) to change clothing.

Source: pp. 39, 40 of Mashpee High School's Student Handbook.

---

vBulletin Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited.
vB Easy Archive Final ©2000 - 2008 - Created by Stefan "Xenon" Kaeser