Tattoo artist banned from Career Day

[ThunderWulf]

http://wtvr.com/2012/11/05/tattoo-artist-banned-from-career-day/#ooid=EweXBuNjr29sNlZmDhfMe-tD-7KbZ8cp

A Florida father says he practices a legitimate business and has every right to share his experience at his daughter’s middle school career day. But some parents at the school said they did not want a tattoo artist sharing what they call, his “alternative lifestyle” with their kids.

Smith was told by the principal at Clearwater Fundamental Middle School he’s not allowed to participate in career day in two weeks, even though he’s participated the past two years.

In his email the school principal says some parents complained and feel Smith is promoting an alternative lifestyle.

Smith, who is licensed to run his shop wrote this email back, saying he actually discourages students from getting tattoos before they turn 18. Still, the principal, who admits to having tattoos and piercings himself, says his decision is not personal but politically correct.

Smith also tries to school students on how getting tattoos and piercings is similar to a surgical procedure and talks for the need for sterilizations to prevent the spread of diseases like hepatitis and HIV.

Smith doesn’t think tattooing is looked at as a legitimate career, but just like a doctor or a lawyer he has long term clients.

“This is an art. And that’s just it. I make a living,” he said.

The career day is a part of a program called the Great American Teach-In. The school district says it stands behind the principal’s decision.

[Art Vandelay]

You may want to take a second look at the thread title.

[ThunderWulf]

LOL.  Thank you.

[TheUnknown]

I like how a few parents get to decide what is considered an "alternative lifestyle."  If you want to look at it that way, any lifestyle is an alternative lifestyle, since most people don't live the exact same way.  Wouldn't a doctor be having an "alternative lifestyle" to that of a farmer?  What if someone demanded certain scientists to not attend because they promote an "alternative lifestyle" to one strictly following Christian belief?

[Her3tiK]

This almost makes me want to have children. I don't really plan on tattoos (not for a while, at least), though I imagine "bassist in a death metal band who's also an outspoken liberal/atheist" will have whatever's left of the mentality shitting itself in fear.

[Sylvana]

I found this offensive, largely because I had to come to terms with that kind of thinking before myself.
One could argue that getting a tattoo is living an "alternative lifestyle" however, the person who does the job of injecting that tattoo is just a business professional rendering a service that some people seek. When I worked for a gambling company I had to learn that I was just a professional rendering a service, and not the cause of people with gambling problems and that I could not take responsibility for other peoples actions.

Further I think having more varied parents at career day would help the children to understand more about how the world works.

[DrFishcake]

Further I think having more varied parents at career day would help the children to understand more about how the world works.

That may well be what the principal was most afraid of.

[erictheblue]

Alternative lifestyle...




That is all.

[rookie]

Further I think having more varied parents at career day would help the children to understand more about how the world works.

As much as I dislike the PTA at my kids' school, this is exactly why I'm heavily involved.

[Material Defender]

Important to be involved in your school. It helps stop people who think there is a problem where there isn't be stopped.

[ThunderWulf]

On top of all the arguments everyone else has made, it also really gets me because he had been allowed to participate in previous years.  It's not like this was something new or anything the school decided to include out of nowhere.  It strikes me as people acting like little kids because not everybody likes the same things they do.

[Sleepy]

I really hate it when parents try to shelter their children from fucking everything. Good luck when they move out of the house.

[ironbite]

...HE'S BEEN DOING THIS THE PAST 2 YEARS!  WHERE WERE YOU IDIOTS THEN!?

[Askold]

...HE'S BEEN DOING THIS THE PAST 2 YEARS!  WHERE WERE YOU IDIOTS THEN!?

Likely explanations:

a) New people have joined the PTA as their kids enter the school and these new people got him banned from career day. (If they were the first to raise this issue.)

b) If this issue had been brought up before and the majority had no problems with him then perhaps some of the more tolerant members have left the PTA and that is why the PTA changed their mind.

c) The parents that raised the stink now had merely not known about this since they hadn't really been paying attention to what happens at the school. Perhaps they only found out about him now.