Dress code fuels pentacle dispute

By Scott Rochat
The Emporia Gazette

“I want to put the word out to my school it´s not Satanism, it´s not gang-related, it´s nothing evil or bad,” said Nicole Sumpter, a practitioner of Wicca. “Everyone has the freedom to choose their religion.”

Pat Smiley, principal of Lowther North Intermediate School, said she would not comment on a disciplinary action. She did say that the pentacle, a five-pointed star surrounded by a circle, violated the school´s dress code.

“I just followed the school rules, and that´s what I did,” said Smiley. “There´s a lot more to this story than a pentacle and I cannot comment on that.”

The school´s dress code states when students dress in a manner “considered indecent or disruptive to school in the judgment of counselors, teachers or principals, the student may be required to change to appropriate clothing or alter the disruptive appearance.”

Smiley also specifically cited a section stating that, “Clothing and personal belongings shall not display profanity, obscenities, violent or derogatory messages, or have tobacco, alcohol, drug-related or gang-related significance.” She would not comment on whether the pentacle was considered a gang-related object.

Sumpter said she had been warned the pentacle was disruptive when she brought it to school once before. In late November, she brought it to class and let a friend try it on.

Then, Sumpter said, “My counselor called the principal, took the pentacle off her neck, took me outside and told me I was not supposed to bring it to school ­ it was school policy.”

According to Sumpter, Smiley told her she wouldn´t get the necklace back until the end of the year.

“She said that, 'Nicole, you don´t know what you´re getting yourself into, it´s a big thing,´” Sumpter said.

Sumpter said she had been into Wicca for about a year, but only acquired the pentacle about a month ago.

Wicca is a nature-based religion that takes many of its rituals from pre-Christian Europe. The belief includes worship of a god and goddess, a “Rule of Three” that says any help or harm worked by practitioners will come back on them three times, and a statement that a practitioner may do anything, so long as no one else is harmed.

The pentacle, a five-pointed star surrounded by a circle, symbolizes both protection and the elements of earth, air, fire, water and spirit.

Its practitioners often call themselves witches and claim to make use of spells and rituals, which has often brought the belief in conflict with Christian churches that consider the practices witchcraft and therefore forbidden.

Carmen Wendling, Sumpter´s mother, is not a Wiccan and learned about her daughter´s religious practices not long before the necklace was confiscated.

“I kind of knew off and on,” she said. “I´m still not too sure about it. I don´t know very much about it. I hope she´s making a right choice on what she wants to practice and I hope she does it responsibly.”

A letter was sent to Wendling after the necklace was confiscated.

Since the family didn´t have a phone hooked up, Wendling did not immediately contact the school. But she says she plans to ask the school to give the necklace back.

“I don´t see anything really wrong with it,” she said.

Tracy Barber, an acquaintance of the family, began exploring other avenues for action, including contacting the Missouri chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union for advice.

“They didn´t guarantee any action at this point,” Barber said. “They said they would need more information. ... If this doesn´t pan out, I would be prepared to approach them again.”

Sumpter says she doesn´t want a fight.

“My three words are 'freedom of religion.´ That´s it,´” Sumpter said. “I hope I can make a better understanding with parents and counselors, get my pentacle back and forget that this happened.”