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As parent Dan Taylor sees it, suspending students simply for wearing T-shirts of their favorite rock bands goes a long way to creating a whole new generation of Marilyn Mansons. A parent of a Zeeland High School sophomore, Taylor -- who
Taylor's comments followed a special school board meeting at Creekside Middle School in Zeeland, Mich., on Monday night to discuss the recent suspension of three high-school students for wearing rock 'n' roll T-shirts. "You'll never lead a person to Christ using the tactics [school officials] are using," Taylor explained. "You have to reach out to kids and accept them for who they are, you can't cram something down their throat." Taylor then added that enduring such treatment as a child more than likely turned shock-rocker Manson into the bible-tearing, anti-social rocker he is today. "I hope [Manson] turns away from his way of living," Taylor said. "But I understand where he's coming from and understand what he's trying to say." As an example of the dangers of such actions, Taylor -- who who spoke before a standing-room-only crowd gathered for the school board meeting -- said that his son hadn't heard of Korn before the controversy, but immediately went out and picked up their latest album, Life is Peachy (1996), after it hit national media. About 175 people packed the band room of the Creekside Middle School on Monday night to debate Zeeland High School's policy forbidding clothing or items that are offensive or imply "obscenity, violence, drugs, alcohol or sexual innuendo." While no solutions were reached, an exclusive forum for Zeeland High School students and staff dedicated to finding a solution to the controversial policy was scheduled for next Tuesday. The meeting was called in response to 18-year-old junior Eric VanHoven's week-long suspension March 5 for wearing a T-shirt with the name of the alt-metal band Korn emblazoned on it. Controversy erupted after a school official, in explaining the decision to suspend the student for wearing the shirt, called the band's music "obscene." Following VanHoven's suspension, two other students were suspended for wearing shirts with nothing more than the names of the rock bands Tool and Filter on them, while a few others were sent home for the day for wearing similar attire. Jim Camenga, spokesperson for Zeeland Public Schools, said that he thought the meeting -- which had to be moved from the Creekside Middle School's library to the band room due to overcrowding -- was balanced. "I thought it went very well," he said. "Twenty-seven out of 175 people got to speak and it was probably split 50-50 between people in favor of the school's policy and people who thought it should be changed." Explaining that about 30 people at the meeting were students, Camenga added that it was the largest turnout that he had seen for a school board meeting. "I was very proud of our students," he said. "They stayed for the whole session and I thought they did a very good job of presenting their opinions." Although they were not in attendance, representatives of Grand Rapids, Mich., radio station WLKQ-FM (94.5) plan on making their voice heard Thursday when they take a trip to the school. The station will be sending nighttime DJ Tom "Wiz" Stavrou to Zeeland to distribute free Korn T-shirts -- provided by Korn's label, Immortal Records -- as students leave school for the day. "It won't be on the school's property, but it will be very near to it," Stavrou said by phone Tuesday. He added that he was unsure how many people would show up but laughed at the notion that the give-away might get out of hand. "Oh, they'll bail me out," he said, chuckling. "I'm not worried about that." According to an article in Tuesday's Holland Sentinel, students attending Monday's meeting were just as divided about the school's policy as the adults. "I think it's a sad day when a person who walks this Earth is not allowed to be an individual," senior Jason Brouchard is quoted as saying. On the other side of the issue, a student identified as Derek Bush reportedly said, "This policy is a good one. I and many other students support your decision." Zeeland High School Assistant Principal Gretchen Plewes, who was served with a cease-and-desist order by Korn's attorney after calling the name of the band "obscene" in an interview with the local paper, claimed she had received 110 calls and letters supporting the policy and only six from those who disagreed. Reached at her home Tuesday, she said the meeting was "fair and balanced." A petition signed by 400 students at the high school was submitted to administrators following the suspension. Korn representatives could not be reached for comment at press time. To follow up on the meeting, a forum has been scheduled at Zeeland High School next Tuesday for students and administrators to discuss possible changes in the school's policy. The meeting will be moderated by the League of Women Voters, Plewes explained. "And we'll have an attorney onhand to answer any legal questions," she said. School Board President Don Van Singel confirmed that any resolutions reached as a part of the forum next week will be voted on by the school board on May 4. Plewes, however, said she wasn't sure if they would be ready by then, as the meeting is scheduled during the school's seminar period.
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