Preschooler’s sign-language name violates zero-tolerance policy

Hunter Spanjer

This may just be the stupidest thing I’ve heard all month (and it’s been a long one):

Hunter Spanjer says his name with a certain special hand gesture, but at just three and a half years old, he may have to change it.

"He's deaf, and his name sign, they say, is a violation of their weapons policy," explained Hunter's father, Brian Spanjer.

Here’s a grand idea: If your policy prevents someone from just signing their name, maybe you’ve got a bad fucking policy. But then, it’s evidently just swell to the sort of bureaucratic goobers who think going after a handicapped preschooler for using sign language that reminds them of some completely unrelated symbol that is obviously entirely unfamiliar to said child is fair game.

At least these officials are doing him the favor of starting him early on distrusting the competence of public authority.

(via @radleybalko)

Tags: Hunter Spanjer • sign language • SEE • Signing Exact English • Grand Island, NE • Brian Spanjer • deafness