Yearbook photos may include weapons

In view of school shootings and gun violence across the country, this is a twist on the usual high school graduation photo.

The school board of Broken Bow Public Schools in Nebraska voted unanimously in October, 2014 to allow seniors to pose for their senior photos with “an item that is ordinarily considered a weapon (rifle, shotgun, knife, etc).” The photos, however, must be “tasteful and appropriate.” It will be the job of the yearbook staff and adviser about what’s tasteful and what’s not.

Hunting is common in rural areas. The school superintendent explained that “Being a rural community where these things are pretty common place, we have a number of students where that’s an important part of their lives.”  Arguably, it shows the student’s personality and interests.

What do you think of this new policy? This isn’t about the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. It’s about bringing weapons on campus for a photo shoot. There’s no mention of taking the pictures off-campus or in the photographer’s studio.

In 2014, at a New York high school, senior Rebekah Rorick submitted her photo with her two favorite things: her dog and her hunting rifle. The photo was turned down but upon appeal to the Board of  Education, she was granted permission to use it as her senior yearbook shot. Nice going, Rebekah, in sticking to your principles.

Rebekah Rorick