Deaf Preschooler (3Yrs. Old) Banned from “Signing” His Own Name

Tim Bean

8/28/2012

3 Yrs. Old Hunter Spanjer

So, when does nanny statism go too far?  Well, I guess that all depends on your political leanings, and ideologies.  Some might argue that government knows best, while others might argue that the individual knows best, and still others would argue that there should, or needs to be a happy medium between those two opposing views.  However, I would like to think that there are instances when even the most ardent statist would have to agree that the state’s reaction to something is just a little too over the top.

Take for example the recent stories of Health Department officials shutting down children’s lemonade stands; or how about the same department shutting down a kid’s hamburger sale to raise money for charity?  Those have been some of the higher profile cases, but the federal government has harassed the Amish for not pasteurizing their milk, Gibson guitars for really nothing after the government seizure of that company’s materials, and then the subsequent investigation (talk about shoot first and ask questions later) into those materials revealed no wrong doing, and this list goes on and on, these instances should make most people cringe at the “know it all-ness” (or lack thereof) of the government.

If those don’t make you cringe, then maybe this story will.  In Grand Island Nebraska the School Board there is asking that a deaf preschool student, of the ripe old age of 3, change the way he signs his name in sign language.  Why?  Because his name in sign language bares too much resemblance to a gun……..  Yes, you heard that right, because this child’s name, which is Hunter Spanjer, requires that when he identifies himself, using sign language, the sign(s) that he uses resembles a gun – not an actual gun mind you, but a figurative gun – and that is in violation of that school board’s policy which bans, “any instrument…that looks like a weapon…”  So, basically the school board is telling a 3 years old, and his parents that they have to basically change his name, so that he will be in compliance to that board’s rules and regulations.  Hooray for Government!

Just remember, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do everything and the wrong way is to keep trying to make everybody else do it the right way.  (M*A*S*H, Colonel Potter)