Thumbing One's Nose

A Salem, Wisconsin eight-grader wanted her nose pierced. Although it was against her school's rules, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Estrada apparently couldn't live without a pierced nose.

So, she took a stand.

She refused to follow the rule against piercing, defied her grade school's code, and was deemed a hero by the Board of Education because of it.

SALEM, Wis -- An eighth-grader disciplined for a nose piercing that violates school rules took her cause before the Board of Education and won at least a temporary reprieve, not to mention a compliment for her gumption.

"It takes a lot of courage for an adult to stand up for what they believe in," board president Patty Merrill told 14-year-old Elizabeth Estrada at Tuesday night's meeting.

"And I think I speak for the entire board by saying that I think we're proud of you."

But the board tabled the issue, postponing any decision until April to get more input.

In the meantime, Estrada was permitted to keep the piercing.

On television interviews, Estrada's mother, Tara Fontaine, said that she was initially against her daughter's desire to express herself through her nose, but Elizabeth was so persistent that she eventually agreed.

According to the AP story, "Fontaine said she hadn't realized that the list of rules included the one on piercings."

"'If I did, I would have said just wait until summer because when you go to high school it's allowed,' she said."

Little Elizabeth couldn't wait three months. I guess this was an emergency. She had to have her nose pierced NOW!

Her mother capitulated.

For a moment, put aside the mother's cluelessness and the Board of Education's approval of Elizabeth's disregard for the established rules of her school.

Under Wisconsin's extensive regulations for tattooing and body piercing, Elizabeth should not have been allowed to have her nose pierced.

HFS 173.05 Patrons.

(b) Minors. 1. No person under 16 years of age may be bodypierced.

2. No person age 16 or 17 may be body pierced unless an
informed consent form has been signed by his or her parent or
legal guardian in the presence of the operator.

So, how did fourteen-year-old Elizabeth get her nose pierced?

Some possible scenarios:

Elizabeth and her mother lied about her age to the operator.

An operator knowingly performed the procedure on the fourteen-year-old, in violation of the code.

It was not done by a licensed operator.

All are possibilities.

It's a given that Elizabeth gets what Elizabeth wants when Elizabeth wants it.

It's a given that the mother allowed her daughter to violate state regulation, knowingly or unknowingly.

Rather than focus on Fontaine's parenting skills, let's focus on the Board of Eduation.

Instead of supporting the rules set by Salem Grade School, the board COMMENDS Elizabeth for her "gumption."

Board president Patty Merrill declared, "It takes a lot of courage for an adult to stand up for what they believe in. And I think I speak for the entire board by saying that I think we're proud of you."

What a load!

Courage?

I wouldn't call it courage. I think it took a lot of contempt for authority.

Would Merrill call it courageous if Elizabeth demanded to start each school day by leading other classmates in a prayer?

What if a student believed in her right to express her religion at school?

Would the board admire her gumption? Would they be proud of her disregard for the rules in that case?

No way.

Other than ears, fourteen-year-olds cannot get their bodies pierced by licensed operators, even with parental consent.

Wisconsin has determined that body piercing is inappropriate for children. Nonethless, the board of education considers Elizabeth's pierced nose to be a sign of principled disobedience.

She stood up for what she believes in -- the right to pierce her nose.

Rules and state code be damned.

Apparently, the inmates are running the asylum in Salem.

This eight-grader pulled off quite a coup.

The adults involved should be ashamed, not proud.

Perhaps Merrill and the other board members should consider having their noses pierced in solidarity with Elizabeth, to show just how much they admire her for bucking the rules and standing up for her beliefs.

IN BODY PIERCING WE TRUST.

DON'T TREAD ON MY NOSE.