A Utah teacher has apologized and been placed on leave after forcing a student to wash off an Ash Wednesday cross.
William McLeod, a fourth-grade student, received an ash cross on his forehead to commemorate the first day of Lent before he went to school on March 6.
When he got there, a teacher confronted him.
William said he tried to explain the significance of the symbol but the teacher ignored his explanation and forced him to wipe it off.
A student, who is Catholic, was told by a teacher to remove his Ash Wednesday cross. The school says what the teacher did is not acceptable and they are investigating. https://t.co/jgY6fwAJ1R
— John Franchi (@JFRANCHIREPORTS) March 7, 2019
“She took me aside and she said, ‘You have to take it off,’” William told Fox 13. “She gave me a disinfection wipe—whatever they are called—and she made me wipe it off.”
The principal for Valley View Elementary School found out about the incident and called the boy’s family. Later, the teacher called them as well.
“I asked her if she read the Constitution with the First Amendment, and she said, no,” said Karen Fisher, William’s grandmother.
District officials expressed confusion as to why the teacher forced William to wash off the symbol.
Bountiful boy who was forced to remove an ash cross says he forgives his teacher. https://t.co/Of2dSaprl3
— KSL (@KSLcom) March 8, 2019
“Why that even came up, I have no idea,” said Chris Williams a representative for the Davis School District. “When a student comes into school with ashes on their forehead, it’s not something we say ‘Please take off.'”
In a statement, Williams added, “No student should ever be asked or required to remove an ash cross from his or her forehead.”
William said he got a handwritten apology from the female teacher and accepted it.
“I accept her apology because she’s actually a really nice teacher,” he told KSL-TV. “I feel really bad for her.”
He recounted what happened.
This statement is regarding the unfortunate incident that occurred at our school. https://t.co/GLEGI9v2cx
— Valley View Elementary School (@ViewElementary) March 8, 2019
“When the teacher saw it, she came over and said, ‘What is that,’” William said. “I was like, ‘I’m Catholic and it’s for Ash Wednesday’ and she’s like, ‘No, that’s inappropriate in our school. Go wash it off!’”
He said he cried because he felt like he was in trouble.
“He went to see the school’s psychologist crying,” Fisher said. “He was embarrassed.”
The full apology letter was not made public but the teacher said in part: “William, I am so sorry about what happened today. I hope we can move forward from this.”
Moana Patterson, the teacher, was called into a meeting with the principal and the school board about the incident, Williams said. After that meeting, she called Fisher to apologize in addition to the handwritten note and a candy bar.
Teacher forced student to wash off Ash Wednesday cross on forehead, family says https://t.co/J75SSiSleQ #KMOV pic.twitter.com/sCFjp4TZeH
— KMOV (@KMOV) March 8, 2019
Patterson was placed on administrative leave and an investigation into possible disciplinary action has been opened.
Patterson didn’t immediately return an email seeking comment about the incident and the district spokesman said he doesn’t know Patterson’s religious affiliation.
Some 330,000 Catholics in Utah account for about 10 percent of the population, according to Jean Hill at the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as Mormons, account for about two-thirds of the state. The faith’s headquarters are in Salt Lake City.
Fisher, the boy’s grandmother, said Patterson asked if she could reapply the ashes herself. “I told her that’s not how it works,” Fisher said.
A Catholic deacon who happens to be a member of the school board came to the school to reapply the ashes, Williams said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
