On a sidenote - I live in Canada, and the only time the doors are locked is when there is noone there, and sometimes not even then

Way to poke holes in my satire. :(

It's true.


What I'm really surprised by is that I haven't see any coverage of this in my local paper.

Can't bring nail clippers on a plane, but you can bring a knife to gym class.

Yeah. I get it's a religious symbol. But the bottom line is that it's still a knife. He is still bringing a knife to school. I can't even begin to understand this. Bringing a knife to school regardless of the reasons behind it should not be allowed. Period.

Oh, it's only a replica. It's not sharp. So I suppose a school would let me stroll around with a replica Bowie knife, right? Sure. How about a fake handgun?

If you can establish it as the dogma for a recognized religion (the kind that get tax breaks) then knock yourself out.

My feelings exactly. It doesn't matter if the kid never INTENDS on using it - it's still a knife - still a weapon - that we're letting him bring to school. It may be a religous symbol, but if you remove religion from it, you find a deadly weapon designed to kill.

Wrong.

"Grr.... you motherfucker! *pulls out ceremonial knife* *STAB!*"
*TINK*
"Ow, you bastard. Why the FUCK did you stab me with a dull knife?"

Or, if we actually go with the restriction that was in the compromise before the case, we get this:

"Grr... you motherfucker!" *pulls out ceremonial knife* *stab*
"...Why the FUCK didn't you unsheathe it?"
"...It's... been... sewn... shut? ....Oh, shit."
*BITCHSLAPPED*

Ceremonial =\= weapons-grade knife. What's so hard to see about this?

And let's assume that it IS a weapons-grade knife. Then we have to deal with the fact that the sheathe has been sewn shut. Somebody who would want to kill somebody will NOT be using this, for the simple fact that it is too much fucking trouble to get it free.

"Yar har har! As soon as I get this knife free with these scissors, there'll be some stabbin' tonight! ...Wait a sec. These scissors... they're sharp. And pointy. Pretty sturdy, too. What the hell was I doing?"

The kirpan is allowed to be used in self defense... which would lead one to believe that they are not dulled down ceremonial knives.

And second of all - with the new ruling, they don't have to be sewn shut - that was the school's policy on them before this whole shitshow.

So then you're telling me that a child should be allowed to bring a loaded handgun to school, provided that it's in a lock-box?

Actually, why the fuck can't they carry it?

I mean, I think we crossed a lot of lines when Jehovah's Witnesses don't have to stand for the NATIONAL FUCKING ANTHEM.

I'm sorry, but you're part of the fucking country, respect it, or GTFO.

Depends. Does the kid have the key, or an adult? And what was the gun brought in for?

Are you actually being serious? If there is a valid enough reason children should be allowed to bring guns to school?

I honestly can't tell if that was supposed to be some sort of smart-ass reply, of if you are telling me that it's ok if they bring a gun to school because it's in a case.

What if your father was a gun collector or a WWII vet, and you thought that was cool?

Wow. Congratulations on completely making a mountain out of a molehill.

"HOLY GOD HE BROUGHT IN A GUN TO SCHOOL! EXPEL HIM!"
"It's unloaded, under lock and key, the key is in the possession of an adult, and the CASE it's in is in the possession of an adult."
"...HOLY GOD HE BROUGHT A GUN TO SCHOOL! EXPEL HIM!"

Guns - ammunition = CLUB. Amd if it's an antique, it may not even work. Sometimes I wonder if you protest to the museum because they showcase medieval weaponry. =\

The condition was, however, that the handgun would be loaded.

Ahh, now THAT is stupid. =\

You could take a butterknife or safety scissors, things which can't cut flesh and use them to acess something which can. Period.

I don't know about you - but I have a whole lot of knives in my silverware drawer at home and have never stabbed anyone ever.

My father does own guns. I never did bring any of them to school.

And we've made the jump from bringing a loaded handgun to school to museums exhibiting Civil War rifles how exactly?


Brady ftw.

This ruling pisses me off. What a nation of PC pussies we are, I'm slightly ashamed of my country at the moment.
If foreigners come here and are unhappy because part of their culture is forbidden by our local rules (and for good, non-arbitrary reasons), they have two choices: adapt or go back to their countries. Now, it seems they have a third choice, which is "whine to the pansy government in the name of freedom and tolerance and multiculturalism and <insert buzzword here>". Wankers.

That's a load of bollocks. Religions are religions, and everyone is entitled to the same freedom of religion, whether the government likes this religion or not.

As for your whole "spirit of the law" nonsense, consider this: carrying guns in schools was already illegal. Despite freedom of religion, that never meant that you could be exempted from laws and rules to cater to your particular religion. That's why the you can't murder people because your religion requires you to kill infidels and get away with it, or do anything against the law. Why would we make an exception for the Sikhs? Because they're nice and peaceful? Again, there is the argument that another, non-Sikh student could steal it and use it to seriously harm another. And the presence of a visible weapon cannot be too good for atmosphere.

Are you serious?

Huh? I must confess, I'm hopelessly confused by this statement. I'm assuming you are facetious, because no one gives a shit about stupid national anthems. At least in Canada. The gods know I'll never stand up for any such thing. *laughs*

Well, I can agree with that. Too bad too many Canadian politician weaklings think otherwise.

Not knocking the religion, but I don't think this is a good idea. Things get stolen in schools. All the time. Especially things of high value and/or personal importance. You are asking for trouble if you let kids bring Kirpans to school. Not because they themselves would do anything, but because of what someone could do with it if he got his hands on it. Be it accidental or intentional, someone will probably end up getting hurt thanks to some moron trying to act tough. Or kids might want to play with it, and could end up hurting themselves. All and all, it's just not a good idea.

Good for you. And this naturally means that you shouldn't be allowed to bring them in at all. Right.

Congratulations on completely avoiding my point.

I think I'll just quote you, since you did such an excellent job of contradicting yourself.

Thus, we should ban the Catholics' Communion, because it is symbolic cannibalism (i.e. you're eating the body and blood of Christ), and for some years, it was believed that what you ate actually WAS the body of Christ.

And in such a case, the child who stole it should be prosecuted, but that doesn't mean that the child who brought the dagger to school should be prosecuted as well. A child who is angry enough (or stupid enough) to attempt to murder somebody won't necessarily use conventional weapons like daggers. Haven't you heard of prison shanks? Hell, they don't even have to use weapons at all.

Why allow a weapon into shools period though? There's a reason why knives and firearms are banned - the're hazards to other students, regardless if they're only meant for self defense from a bully.

Is cannibalism actually illegal?

Considering it usually involved murder, I'd say so, yes.

This is bull and a fine example of double standards.

Canada is a society of law, not religion, and the law prohibits sharp blades from certain places, and to see our highest legislative body even CONSIDER taking any kind of religious argument into account makes me unconfortable.

May god strike me down if I don't speaketh thy truth
/thunderbolt