News in Brief: Students Suspended for Crosses

To be precise, two teenagers in Oregon were suspended for refusing to remove crucifixes that they wore to school. It is the disobedience that triggered the suspensions.

But, what's the big deal? Are the schools in Oregon trying to ban religion?

Frankly, no. What's going on is that gangs have gotten wise to the various restrictions on gang-related attire in schools. So, to keep their colors showing, they've started using religious symbols as a way to show their affiliations.

Because crucifixes and other such objects are traditionally religious in nature, few people would suspect that they could be coded gang messages. Which is exactly the idea. Even when gang members are caught with such a display, they can always claim that someone is trying to interfere with their rights to religious practice.

Thus, by default, school administrators had to be given the leeway to order the removal of potentially gang-related symbols - even crucifixes.

And that's exactly where things stand. Now, in Oregon, you can be religious all you want, but might have a hard time showing it. Don't blame the schools, though; none of this would be a problem if it weren't for the gangs.