Student wearing Broncos jersey forced to take test on floor

[savafan]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/f...orts-headlines

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. // A 17-year-old high school student said he was humiliated when a teacher made him sit on the floor during a midterm exam in his ethnicity class - for wearing a Denver Broncos jersey.

The teacher, John Kelly, forced Joshua Vannoy to sit on the floor and take the test Friday - two days before the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Broncos 34-17 in the AFC championship game. Kelly also made other students throw crumpled up paper at Vannoy, whom he called a "stinking Denver fan," Vannoy told The Associated Press on Monday.

Kelly said Vannoy, a junior at Beaver Area Senior High School, just didn't get the joke.

"If he felt uncomfortable, then that's a lesson; that's what (the class) is designed to do," Kelly told The Denver Post. "It was silly fun. I can't believe he was upset."

Vannoy was wearing a No. 7 Broncos jersey on Friday, because he is a fan of John Elway, the Broncos' retired Hall of Fame quarterback.

Vannoy said he was so unnerved he left at least 20 questions blank on the 60-question test, and just wants out of Kelly's class because he's afraid the teacher won't treat him fairly now that the story reached the media.

"I'm going to have to deal with him for two more nine weeks (school quarters) and he's going to want revenge somehow," Vannoy said Monday. "I took the test. I'm shaking. I'm furious. I didn't know what to do."

Kelly, who wore a Ben Roethlisberger jersey Friday, and his principal, Thomas Karczewski, didn't immediately return messages left on their school voice mail Monday.

Big Beaver Falls Area School District Superintendent Donna Nugent said she was aware of the situation, but said confidentiality rules prevent her from commenting specifically.

"We'll take whatever action we need to in order for the student to feel comfortable," Nugent said.

[KronoRed]

Silly fun?

Guess he has a sick sense of what's "funny"

[RedFanAlways1966]

Not sure what to think. Perhaps the kid is blowing it way out of proportion. Perhaps the kid went along with it and had fun with the attention until he realized that he was going to fail the exam that was given... then found an "out" by making the claims in the story. I'd be curious to hear the story of a few kids who were in the class. Surely the teacher would have enough common-sense to know that the kid was not enjoying the fun if that was the case. But who knows.

I do think the teacher needs to re-learn about ethnicity. He seems to have it confused with discrimination.

ethnicity
n : an ethnic quality or affiliation resulting from racial or cultural ties; "ethnicity has a strong influence on community status relations"

[zombie-a-go-go]

Originally Posted by savafan

Kelly, who wore a Ben Roethlisberger jersey Friday

Well, that's a shock.

[Johnny Footstool]

Bad idea on the teacher's part.

One of the keys to being "funny" is knowing when the audience is not enjoying the joke.

[Caveat Emperor]

This reminds me of when I was a senior in high school, living in Washington D.C. The Redskins were playing the Buccaneers in the second round of the playoffs. Everyone knew I was a Tampa Bay fan, and I knew that I was going to get crap from other students and my teachers -- all of whom were Washington Redskins fans. And, indeed, I did get crap from kids and my teachers when I'd show up wearing my Warrick Dunn jersey or my Mike Alstott jersey. However, I was never graded down for my "football beliefs," and I was given full rights to shove it in their faces when the Bucs beat the 'Skins and went on to the NFC title game.

This kid is 17 years old, and he is smart enough at this age to completely understand the results of him wearing a Broncos jersey into a high school in the middle of "Steelers Country." He knew that he was, potentially, antagonizing his classmates and teachers (nobody who has a teacher that is a football fan EVER has any doubt who their favorite team is), yet he made a concious decision to show up in an Elway jersey. We're not talking about a kid in elementary school who doesn't know any better -- we're talking about a young adult, 1 year away from the age of majority, who is trying to cry foul about a decision HE made. I have trouble with a kid this old getting "so mad" that he couldn't finish a test...it rings as false and as an attempt to make trouble or grab attention for himself.

And, I think it's ironic to note that this was an ethnicity class. This is a near letter-perfect example of singling out someone based on a difference of opinion or difference of appearence and treating him/her differently. There's a good class lesson to learn out of all this, I'd imagine.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

This reminds me of when I was a senior in high school, living in Washington D.C. The Redskins were playing the Buccaneers in the second round of the playoffs. Everyone knew I was a Tampa Bay fan, and I knew that I was going to get crap from other students and my teachers -- all of whom were Washington Redskins fans. And, indeed, I did get crap from kids and my teachers when I'd show up wearing my Warrick Dunn jersey or my Mike Alstott jersey. However, I was never graded down for my "football beliefs," and I was given full rights to shove it in their faces when the Bucs beat the 'Skins and went on to the NFC title game.

This kid is 17 years old, and he is smart enough at this age to completely understand the results of him wearing a Broncos jersey into a high school in the middle of "Steelers Country." He knew that he was, potentially, antagonizing his classmates and teachers (nobody who has a teacher that is a football fan EVER has any doubt who their favorite team is), yet he made a concious decision to show up in an Elway jersey. We're not talking about a kid in elementary school who doesn't know any better -- we're talking about a young adult, 1 year away from the age of majority, who is trying to cry foul about a decision HE made. I have trouble with a kid this old getting "so mad" that he couldn't finish a test...it rings as false and as an attempt to make trouble or grab attention for himself.

And, I think it's ironic to note that this was an ethnicity class. This is a near letter-perfect example of singling out someone based on a difference of opinion or difference of appearence and treating him/her differently. There's a good class lesson to learn out of all this, I'd imagine.

Football fandom should never be a reason to treat someone poorly...ever.

[Caseyfan21]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

Football fandom should never be a reason to treat someone poorly...ever.

Except fans of that team from the state up north....

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by Caseyfan21

Except fans of that team from the state up north....

I moved to Cincinnati from Ann Arbor (via a 6 month jaunt in South Carolina) I showed up at school in UM Blue and with what some teachers told me was a "smart mouth" I got much crap and endured it and gave back. If you wear enemy colors expect some crap.

[Caveat Emperor]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

Football fandom should never be a reason to treat someone poorly...ever.

We're talking about a kid sitting on the floor to take a test and being hit with paper wads (which doesn't even qualify as being hit at all). It's not like the teacher conspired to get everyone whacking the kid with socks stuffed with soap or anything.

When you show up at school wearing appearal designed to inflame or rile those around you (and make no mistake, a 17 year old understands the consequences of wearing a Denver jersey the week before they play the Steelers in the AFC title game), I think it rises to the level of something of an "acceptance of the risk" of being teased by your teachers and students. I'd have more sympathy for this student if the teacher happened to know this kid was a Broncos fan and called him out on it for no reason -- but if he shows up wearing a jersey, he knows what he's trying to do.

The real thing I blame the teacher for is doing this to a student he didn't know well enough to take it. Whenever my teachers harassed me for being a Bucs fan, they always knew me well enough to know that I'd laugh along and/or talk smack right back at them. I know that it's classic "bully-enabling" language when people say you've got to learn how to take a joke -- but you really do in this sort of case.

Maybe I'm coming at this from the wrong point of view...I don't know. If I was a parent, I'd probably feel differently.

[redsfan30]

While distasteful, it wouldn't suprise me one bit if this kid is blowing things way out of proportion....most likely at the direction of his parents.

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by redsfan30

While distasteful, it wouldn't suprise me one bit if this kid is blowing things way out of proportion....most likely at the direction of his parents.

Students also tossed crumpled paper at Vannoy at the request of the teacher, John Kelly, who was wearing a Ben Roethlisberger jersey.

http://159.54.227.3/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...601240314/1030

When Joshua Vannoy, 17, a junior from Big Beaver, walked into his honors ethnic relations class Friday and sat at his desk in preparation for a midterm exam, he was told by the teacher, John Kelly, to pick up his books. Vannoy moved to another seat, but said Kelly, an avid Steelers fan, told him not to sit there either.

"I figure he's having a bad day, but then he says, 'That's my desk. Your books aren't allowed on my desk.' "

Vannoy said it was all apparently over what he was wearing - a No. 7 jersey that wasn't Ben Roethlisberger's. It was an orange-and-blue John Elway shirt, carrying the logo of the opposing team set to face the Steelers in the weekend AFC Championship Game.


And because he wore it, Vannoy said he was told he had to lie on the carpeted floor inside a circle of desks if he wanted to get his test.

Vannoy said other students were handed their tests; his was thrown at him. Papers flew everywhere, and even after he had them arranged, Vannoy said he was unable to concentrate.

At one point, Vannoy said Kelly handed out notebook paper for a second part of the test and told students to "throw the paper at the Denver fan."

Kelly even demonstrated to students by throwing the first wad, Vannoy said.

"Mr. Kelly threw it and hit me in the back of the head. Some of my friends threw the paper to miss me on purpose," Vannoy said.

Other students were reluctant, he said, including a girl, who said she wasn't comfortable throwing paper at him. He said Kelly threw her paper at him also, with not so much as a smile or a laugh. Vannoy said Kelly seemed serious

Kelly, who did not return messages, told The Denver Post that he didn't threaten Vannoy's grade and called it "silly fun." Kelly told The Post he did the same to a ninth-grader who wore an Indianapolis Colts shirt the previous week, adding that if Vannoy was upset, it was a lesson, which is what the class is designed for.

When class ended, Vannoy said he felt "dehumanized" during a course that's supposed to teach diversity and acceptance. He was shaking, sure he flunked his test because he didn't get to answer one-third of the questions, and was too distraught to eat lunch.

"I was so upset," he said. "I was prepared to take wisecracks and jokes, but when you take it too far," he paused, "he's a teacher."

Vannoy said he went to high school Principal Thomas Karczewski, who shrugged it off. "The principal said, 'What do you want me to do? The worst I can do is probably write him up,' " Vannoy said.

Karczewski told The Post he was sure Kelly had no intent to harm Vannoy, but offered no comment on Monday.

Superintendent Donna Nugent was out of town Friday and said she was made aware of the situation Monday. She said the district is following up with an internal investigation and plans to take any appropriate action necessary.

"We're aware of the situation," Nugent said.

Ron Miller, school board president, said no students should be shamed because of the stance they choose to take.

"Obviously we do not condone any humiliation of students," Miller said.

Vannoy's father, Brian Vannoy, who said he is talking to lawyers, said his son is a good student who happens to be a National Football League fan. Vannoy belongs to National Honor Society and has a 3.8 grade-point average. Vannoy's parents were worried he would get a lower grade in the class.

"On Friday, he asked for a retest with the principal, who blew him off and said, 'I can't do anything about it.' We never heard back," Brian Vannoy said.

Joshua Vannoy said he's now at the point where he's just ready to drop the class.

"I honestly don't want to go to school (today) because it's going to be a mess," he said.

.

http://www.timesonline.com/site/news...d=478569&rfi=6

Big Beaver Falls Area School District Superintendent Donna Nugent said, "We'll take whatever action we need to in order for the student to feel comfortable."

http://www.newsobserver.com/122/story/391924.html

[15fan]

Josh -

Hike up your skirt. It's a cold, cruel world out there.

[NJReds]

Originally Posted by 15fan

Josh -

Hike up your skirt. It's a cold, cruel world out there.

Actually, if he was in the 'cold, cruel world' he'd just sue for a million.

[gonelong]

Wow, some people are just easily rattled ...

I can totally derail my neighbors golf game with a few comments about his game.

GL