Student Arrested For Wearing Rosary
The 14-year-old Amarillo, TX boy refused to remove his rosary beads at a school football game and says he was hurt by an aggressive police officer.
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Jacob Herrera’s mother Lori Martinez says her son was approached by officer Corporal Wilson and told to take off his rosary bead necklace. A witness named Marivell Chavez says the teen was then held to the ground, where she says he shouted, “call my mom” and “I can’t breathe,” reports Newschannel10.com.
“You know he handcuffed him and then crossed him across the street right there and slammed him again and he repeatedly slammed the child on the floor,” Chavez said…
“He was fighting with the officer, he wouldn’t comply with the commands, he wouldn’t put his arms behind his back,” said Cpl Jerry Neufeld. “The officer used a couple of different compliance holds to try and get him to put his hands behind his back, he did not deploy his taser, he just tried to get him under control. They rolled on the ground for several minutes.”
Martinez says her son is not a gang member and that he wears the rosary because it has sentimental value to him after the death of his sibling. Jacob is currently being held at the Youth Center of High Plains. Some of his friends at Amarillo ISD and other parents who say they witnessed the confrontation wore rosaries Thursday to symbolize their demand for justice for the student.[su_csky_ad]
Mike November 3rd, 2014 at 11:16 am
Damn pig criminals.
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" November 3rd, 2014 at 11:26 am
Excuse me, but WTF ????
Amarillo ISD released the following statement: “Last night at one of our schools, a student was identified as being in violation of the dress code for wearing an item in a manner which is considered to be gang related by local and national law enforcement. A school administrator and liaison officer asked the student to either comply with the dress code rules or leave school property. The student repeatedly refused to comply with either option. At that time, the student was arrested for trespassing.”
As a society, we really need to take a look at this??
Carla Akins November 3rd, 2014 at 11:36 am
Although I may personally see the Catholic church as a “gang”, I am pretty sure rosary beads have never been considered a gang symbol. This feels more like an issue of control/dominance. What’s next, the Irish holding hands thingy or a cross?
Larry Schmitt November 3rd, 2014 at 11:42 am
Thank goodness it wasn’t a yarmulke or burqa.
Carla Akins November 3rd, 2014 at 12:24 pm
That’s just scary.
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" November 3rd, 2014 at 11:56 am
Well, the cross is part of the Rosary.
just imagine the horror if he was wearing one of these…
tiredoftea November 3rd, 2014 at 1:20 pm
He would have been elected Student Body President and Homecoming King, not arrested.
Pistol-Packing AKA "Susie" November 3rd, 2014 at 1:46 pm
HAHAHAHAHA, I knew I could count on you to make me laugh… =)
R.J. Carter November 3rd, 2014 at 12:03 pm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/17/rosary-beads-gangs-thompson-valley-high-school-colorado_n_1891501.html
mea_mark November 3rd, 2014 at 12:05 pm
Does it connect them to the GOP Jesus gang also? You know, them right-wing Bible thumping, gun toting zealots.
M D Reese November 3rd, 2014 at 12:12 pm
THAT’S the gang that I want kept out of our schools!
R.J. Carter November 3rd, 2014 at 12:22 pm
When bad guys start stealing the iconography of the good guys, it’s the good guys who invariably pay the price for clinging to their iconography.
Just ask all those people who used the broken cross as a good luck symbol before Adolph co-opted it.
Carla Akins November 3rd, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Wow, really. My son-in-law is a Latino from southern California, but then he’s an atheist. He’s falling down on the job, not keeping me up with the skinny.
tiredoftea November 3rd, 2014 at 1:18 pm
Time to wrestle him to the ground is some sort of head lock. Or, you can finally use that taser you got last xmas!
Carla Akins November 3rd, 2014 at 2:56 pm
He’s a big boy 6’4″ and they just moved to FL, it would take a long time in my car.
tiredoftea November 3rd, 2014 at 2:59 pm
What, no retired Mafia in FL. for you to hire?
Carla Akins November 3rd, 2014 at 3:01 pm
He would my contact!
tiredoftea November 3rd, 2014 at 3:32 pm
Well, that would be awkward!
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 1:27 pm
it is a gang symbol
Hirightnow November 3rd, 2014 at 2:11 pm
So is a cross.
So is a snake.
Let’s ban the Tea Party from all schools, their children included.
You could make the case that “It’s a gang symbol!!!!l” about a great many items, you know. Hell! A lot of those gang members wear shirts…..
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 2:20 pm
it is banned from wearing in the schools, period. the kid refused to just tuck it in and bowed up…he has now learned their are consequences for his actions.
Larry Schmitt November 3rd, 2014 at 11:43 am
It being Texas, I thought it was just a Baptist thing. Ya know, ya have ta keep them Papists in line.
Mephistophiles November 3rd, 2014 at 11:47 am
The story isn’t clear on who shouted ‘call my mom’. I’ll assume it’s the pig.
mea_mark November 3rd, 2014 at 12:02 pm
Law officers today are to disconnected from the community they serve and no longer understand the needs of the community they are supposed to be serving. It is time for America to reform how we police ourselves. Law Officers need to be better connected to the community and understands its needs or not serve.
M D Reese November 3rd, 2014 at 12:11 pm
In Texas it’s not enough to just be a christian. You have to be the RIGHT KIND of christian…
Larry Schmitt November 3rd, 2014 at 12:42 pm
So having an actual conversation with someone is out of the question for cops now, I guess. Most Hispanics are still Catholic, which means at least some of them might carry a rosary for reasons not gang-related, and some of them might actually wear it around their necks. He couldn’t ask the kid a couple of questions about the rosary, and avoided the whole incident? I thought that’s what being a “community-based” cop is about. Especially at school. I would be really pissed if this were my kid.
tiredoftea November 3rd, 2014 at 1:16 pm
“I thought that’s what being a “community-based” cop is about”. It would be if that’s what they are. Texas is using a para military style of policing where the community is an occupied geography.
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 1:21 pm
his dead sibling was a gang member and he was talked to, asked to either take it off or leave the property. The area does have a gang violence problem and they do wear the rosary and he was wearing his brothers rosary
Larry Schmitt November 3rd, 2014 at 1:32 pm
I didn’t see any indication that his brother was a gang member. That may be the case, but I didn’t see it in any news story. I checked the one linked here, and the TV station mentioned. And a cop telling him to take his rosary off isn’t what I would call a conversation.
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 1:42 pm
I researched before posting. He was asked to either tuck the rosary inside his clothing or leave the property, he refused and he did resist
He caused the situation, all he had to do was follow the rules, he is 14 years old and feels entitled to do what he wants, when he wants without any ramifications. Notice how the Mother is just asking for his release, no one is defending his actions.
Hirightnow November 3rd, 2014 at 1:57 pm
I have yet to find anything stating that his brother was in a gang.Bunches of sites…nothing.
Perhaps if you provided a link?
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 2:00 pm
just follow all the links provided in the story, then follow those and so on…that is what i did
Hirightnow November 3rd, 2014 at 2:03 pm
So, you have nothing.
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 2:21 pm
so you are lazy…channel 10 cbs news…follow thw LINKS just like I did
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 1:57 pm
how long should he have talked to him. He knew the riules, all he had to do was tuck it into his shirt, he chose to escalate the situation with a 14 YO bravado and no manners attitude.
Hirightnow November 3rd, 2014 at 1:58 pm
And a beefy cop decided that this was the best time to show them blacks that he shouldn’t be messed with.
Apologist, you. No got respect your type, me.
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 2:00 pm
First, he was not a black kid, second the kid knew the rules and he refused to comply, third, he escalated the situation.
Hirightnow November 3rd, 2014 at 2:02 pm
The officer asked him what the beads were for, the kid replied “What do you mean?”. According to reports, this is all that the officer (a Catholic) needed to hear before deciding that this kid was a gang banger.
Apologist.
Enjoy your kow-towing.
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 2:23 pm
Nope, the kid was never accused of being a agng member, just not following the schools rules, period. It really is that simple, there is no racism involved or religous persecution, the kid knew better and now understands what “consequences” means
Abby Normal November 3rd, 2014 at 12:57 pm
The ACLU needs to sue Corporal Wilson and the Nazi department he works for. Rosaries are gang symbols? In my area students are forbidden from wearing hoodies for the same reason. What’s next? Shoes? Glasses and pocket protectors? In today’s America you can be knocked to the ground, roughed up and detained just because someone doesn’t like the way you look.
“Zeez are za rules. All males vill vear khaki slacks und blue polo shirt. Shoes vill be Converse All-Stars. Females vill vear poodle skirt, blue svetter und saddle shoes. No exceptions. Deviants vill be beaten und detained. Zis is Amerika. Look ze part or you vill be punished!”
Larry Schmitt November 3rd, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Und you vill like it!
arc99 November 3rd, 2014 at 1:31 pm
When I was in middle school back in the days before electricity and when indoor plumbing was a luxury item, we had a very strict dress code. All manner of completely legal things such as turtlenecks, earrings on boys, pendant earrings on girls and tons of other stuff were dress code violations.
So I have no problem with a strict dress code. In fact, it was required that on Monday, in order to “start the week on a positive note”, boys had to wear a necktie, and girls were prohibited from wearing slacks.
Obviously I do not condone a child being beaten up for a dress code violation. But I just don’t see a problem with school defining very strict standards on what students can and cannot wear.
Kick Frenzy November 3rd, 2014 at 1:08 pm
I really don’t think it’s an issue that the rosary wasn’t allowed.
If a school states that an item isn’t allowed because it’s heavily used by gangs, I would respect that… they’re trying to maintain a safer environment for the students.
BUT… the force that cop used (on a 14 year old!) was excessive and should result in some sort of reprimand (either desk job or unpaid leave with required psych eval.. or whatever).
The most that should have happened is the officer should report it to the school who could then give him a demerit or something.
tiredoftea November 3rd, 2014 at 1:19 pm
Aren’t there better ways of identifying gang members?
R.J. Carter November 3rd, 2014 at 1:30 pm
Photo registration IDs? But what about the older and poorer gang members? Doesn’t that disenfranchise them? 🙂
arc99 November 3rd, 2014 at 1:38 pm
only if they try to vote in student council elections and what self-respecting gang member wants to do something so completely lame and beneficial?
Hirightnow November 3rd, 2014 at 1:52 pm
Maybe there should be a gang that wear crucifixes as their symbol…..
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 1:59 pm
there already are, that is why they are banned in schools. All he had to do was tuck it into his clothes, he chose not to.
Hirightnow November 3rd, 2014 at 2:07 pm
Yeah.
Banned in school.
Gotcha.
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 2:21 pm
wearing a rosary is banned, period. That is a fact. A;lso a fact that some gangs use it as a symbol of recognition for their affiliation with a gang
whatthe46 November 3rd, 2014 at 6:52 pm
and tatts.
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 6:53 pm
Absolutely, the kid make this a bigger problem and his family knows it.
Abby Normal November 3rd, 2014 at 2:08 pm
Maybe gangs will start wearing American flag lapel buttons. Then the cops will start beating up Republican politicians!
Hirightnow November 3rd, 2014 at 2:12 pm
Don’t gangs of thugs with no respect for the law already wear those pins?
theottoshow November 3rd, 2014 at 6:17 pm
Good question – is that a normal accessory for Democrats?
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 3:01 pm
this is only on school property, the need to cut down on violence and keep the campuses as safe as possible is necessary. Let them wear what they want off campus. Their are many clothing restrictions at all schools, this is just one
Abby Normal November 3rd, 2014 at 3:36 pm
I have no problem with sensible limitations on what students may wear at school. But I do see a ridiculous trend taking place – and that is letting gangs determine what is permissible for the rest of society. For example, hoodies go back many, many years. They’re warm and comfortable. They’re very practical. My 93 year-old neighbor wears one. I wore one in elementary school. They are now forbidden in many schools, including my local school district, because gang members decided to appropriate them. The crucifix and rosary are religious symbols that go back to the first or second century A.D. Gangs decided they liked them. Now they’re gang symbols. Where does it end? Eventually gangs will catch on to this power they yield over the rest of us and adopt more items from the rest of society. Maybe they’ll decide yamulkes are cool. Then the yamulke will be a gang symbol?
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 4:54 pm
not the rest of society, in school. There is a diffrence.
theottoshow November 3rd, 2014 at 6:15 pm
Yeah, in school. I’m guessing Abby understood that when she raised the point, since she premised it with that very acknowledgment.
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 6:18 pm
reading comprehension is not strong in you
khaas November 3rd, 2014 at 3:15 pm
I don’t get this one either Abby. Is this world going nuts or what?
Susanna King November 3rd, 2014 at 2:23 pm
First question, why was he wearing a rosary as a necklace? I’ve been told many times by Catholics that you’re not supposed to do that, and that it’s in fact offensive to do so.
Um Cara November 3rd, 2014 at 3:15 pm
First question, why was he wearing a rosary as a necklace?
…it’s in fact offensive to do so.
Nuns wear them all the time 🙂
Not sure what the context of their comments were – but probably the Catholics telling you it is offensive were referring to using them as fashion accessories, which doesn’t sound like the reason he was wearing it.
starskeptic November 4th, 2014 at 9:13 am
Nun’s don’t wear them as necklaces.
Um Cara November 7th, 2014 at 10:27 am
Kee-reckt. Hence the smiley 🙂
theottoshow November 3rd, 2014 at 6:10 pm
That’s your “first question”?!
Um Cara November 3rd, 2014 at 3:22 pm
I understand a large number of gang members wear jeans, probably time to ban them too, lol.
I think the whole ‘separation of church and state’ thing gets over interpreted (ack! a nativity scene! eek! we must separate the church and state!) – but the government banning a specific religious symbol smells pretty unconstitutional to me. Besides, it’s probably better to crack down on gang members than Catholics when trying to reduce gang violence…
tracey marie November 3rd, 2014 at 3:30 pm
what makes you think they(gang members are good catholics?
Um Cara November 3rd, 2014 at 3:45 pm
I have no opinion one way or the other as to who is/is not a ‘good Catholic’, to be honest.
Keith Rabinowitz November 3rd, 2014 at 3:31 pm
Wtf.
whatthe46 November 3rd, 2014 at 6:48 pm
wearing a rosary is a big no no. open carry YES!
Andrew W. Challand November 3rd, 2014 at 6:55 pm
That wouldn’t have happened to a rich white kid.
Cristina Bonuso November 3rd, 2014 at 9:30 pm
When a child goes to his school event, he should not be accosted by a belligerent police officer who knows nothing about child psychology. If a teacher had approached the boy and explained what the problem was I can guarantee that the young man would have complied. Instead the officer got into an emotional confrontation and physical brawl with the teen. Totally unnecessary for such a minor infraction.
Stephanie G November 3rd, 2014 at 9:32 pm
You lost me at “Texas”.
AAASuperPatriot November 3rd, 2014 at 9:57 pm
“compliance holds” Tasers. Pepper spray.
It’s time to start regulating the use of non-lethal force.
King Robert November 4th, 2014 at 10:07 am
You all really need to search other sources of information before passing judgement based only on what ALAN.com choose to pass on based on his views.
http://houston.cbslocal.com/2014/11/03/student-arrested-for-refusal-to-remove-gang-related-rosary/
rickwalters November 4th, 2014 at 10:27 am
I just know we are only getting 1/2 of the story……..
Candide Thirtythree November 9th, 2014 at 2:51 am
The kid was a gang member and his mother was lying her ass off, such good christians.
burqa November 9th, 2014 at 8:05 pm
HEY ALAN! I’ve heard you mention on the air that you attend church with your wonderful wife. It’s a wonderful gesture by you.
But somehow you don’t seem to be aware of the sorts of things that church is doing. Or maybe you don’t want to talk about it, for some reason.
Just look at the things you post, overall and then look at the programs and charity efforts your wife’s church is involved with. Google up the web pages of a bunch of others, and toss in an interfaith council or two in your region.
Just what in blue blazes is keeping you from posting stories that reflect more accurately what people of faith are doing?
You have a whole forum to do so, but look at the crap you post and what others post here.
All you seem to want to do is post about the kooks and negative things that provide a forum for ridicule and other criticism that invariably becomes directed at incredible people quietly, anonymously going around feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving to the poor and getting health care to the sick.
In a world where there is so much depressing news, so much hatred, so much darkness, so much division, bigotry and other awful news, we need to hear about the positive things going on.
I say those at the local soup kitchen who feed the hungry deserve some publicity.
I say those who conduct drives to get shoes for poor children, or school supplies, clothing or other things deserve time in the spotlight.
I say those who work at homeless shelters deserve stories here about what they do and the issues they face.
What’s the matter with you, Alan, that you have to have this sort of focus in this forum?
maury204643 November 12th, 2014 at 3:42 pm
The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, as one of the ten amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights.