Should Nose Piercing Be Allowed At School?

For Ariana Iacono, the jewelry she wears in her Pierced nose is more than just a fashion statement. It's a symbol of her faith, a belief That Manipulating and modifying one's flesh strengthens the bond Between Mind, Body and Seoul. Her school, HOWEVER, says the ring in her nose is nothing more than just a violation of the dress code and Grounds for suspension.

14-year-old Ariana and her mother, Nikki, are Members of the Church of Body Modification. The church's website, Which Is Not for the squeamish, professes a belief in the body modification as "One Of The Safest and most societal Responsible Ways to stay spiritually healthy and wholesale." They encourage Piercings, tattoos, scarification as well as reconstructive and cosmetic surgery as Means of controlling and subverting the Biological Physical development of the body.

And yes, it's a real church, incorporated as a non-profit and tax-exempt entity.

But despite the, apparent legitimacy of Ariana's s faith, administrators at Clayton High School near Raleigh, NC, have her Suspended for Refusing to remove her nose ring. Mom Nikki says in doing so, the school is violating it's own dress code policy, Which Allows Religious Exemptions are grounds.

The ACLU has gotten Involved and I Believe It's just a matter of time before Nikki's suspension is dropped. If the school is going to make Exceptions to the dress code on accommodate a person's Religious Beliefs, They then must make Those Exceptions for every religion. Even One That Seems So Far afield from what the mainstream Might Be Considered.

But ultimately, I think schools need to get out of the business of telling students how to look and what to wear. Dress codes are often Arbitrary and based on little more than just the personal preferences of Those WHO created inline. Mohawks, blue streaks and nose Piercings May Not be your cup of tea, But They Truly never hurt anyone.