At A Glance Author Raven Contact [email protected] IAM Nevar Creations When Five years ago Location Lafayette, Louisiana Let me begin by saying that ever since I can remember I have had a deep interest in body modification. My mother and stepfather had many tattoos and a few piercings and I could not wait untill the day I could explore these things for myself. Well that day came when I was around 14 and I asked my mother for permission to get my navel pierced. By the time I was 16 I had my navel pierced twice and my tongue pierced as well. I had never had any problems throughout school untill I got into the 11th grade and the school board passed a rule that no piercing, among other things were allowed.
I was about three months into the 11th grade when one day when I was sitting in english class there was a knock on the door. The teacher opened the door and it was one of the principals. They stepped out into the hall for about two minutes and when they came back into the room the principal asked to see me in the hallway. Now at this point I thought that something was wrong at home (maybe someone died). I need to point out that throughout the entire time I had been in school I had never been in trouble for anything. Well when I get into the hall the principal said "So I hear you have your tongue pierced.". I said "Yes, thats true.". Then the principal pulls a plastic ziplock bag out of her pocket and said "Take it out and put it in here.". Naturally my first response was "NO!". I then told her " I refuse to take it out and even if I wanted to take it out I would not do it at school because I dont have anything to rinse my mouth out with." She said "Well, since you refuse to follow the rules you have to stay in detention for the rest of the day." So I got my stuff from the class room with everyone in class wondering what I had did wrong and went to the principals office. I was sitting in the principals office and she asked if I wanted to call my mother to pick me up instead. I called but of course she wasnt home so I had no choice but to go to detention in the library. Needless to say that day was pretty damn boring. Five hours latter and I was on my way home.
When I got home I told my mother everything that had happen and she said "Ill give them an ear full when I go with you to school tomorrow.". I was hopping that my mother would be able to take care of it especially since the rule was made way after I had already had my tongue pierced. That night I tried to sleep but I was so pissed off I only got about three hours of sleep. The next day my mother came with me to school and we headed straight to the principals office. My mother talked to several of the principals and they would not hear it. They did not listen to any of my mothers points. They told me and my mother that either I take out the piercing and go back to class or if I kept it in I would have to go to detention untill I took it out. They said that if I refused to take it out I would have to go to detention untill they would have to suspend me and if that didnt make me take it out they would then have to expell me from school entirely. My mom would not give them the p leasure of doing that to me so she asked me if I wanted to just quit.
I do not bend on any of my beliefs for noone so I decided I would just have to quit since I knew if I had a hearing with the school board they would just side with the principals. I had noone else to turn to and we had no money for a lawyer. After I quit I immediatly got my G.E.D and passed with flying colors. This all happened about five years ago and to this day I regret having to quit but I still feel like it was the right thing to do for myself. It is my body and only I decide what happens to it/me. It sickens me that other people try to tell you what you can and can not do with your own body. I just wish I would have had access to this wonderfull supportive community back then. At least I could have had someone to talk to who had simmilar views. Hopefully we as a community can work towards changing these injustices but it will take alot of hard work.