Hindus Laud North Carolina School Board Proposal Allowing Student Nose Rings
Hindus have commended Johnston County School Board (Smithfield, North Carolina, USA) for reportedly considering a policy revision, thus allowing students to wear nose rings.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that nose piercing and nose ornaments had been a tradition of women of India for centuries and the Hindu goddesses had been depicted wearing nose ornaments. Ban on nose rings was unfair to female students of India descent and it was denying the right to students of India background to express their religio-cultural identity.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, hoped that the proposed dress code would show sensitivity to religio-cultural beliefs of students of India descent.
Rajan Zed further said that they respected the school dress code policy as long as it did not violate the traditions and beliefs of the pupils. Noses of girls in India were usually pierced around puberty and it reportedly found mention in ancient Ayurvedic text. Old architecture and paintings of India depicted the presence of tradition of nose ornaments and Indian poets had been singing their praise, Zed added.
Zed urged all school districts in the country to consider revising their dress code thus allowing nose rings/studs to the pupils.
Students in Johnston County School District, numbering over 32,000, speak 46 languages, and its “vision” is: “Empowering all students to become successful in a global society.” District claims to have received the highest ranking by The Center for American Progress in their report, “Return on Investment -Academic Achievement per Dollar Spent”. Larry Strickland and Dorothy Johnson are Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively of Johnston County Board of Education, while Dr. Ed Croom is District Superintendent.
Johnston County is known for Oscar nominated Ava Gardner (The Night of the Iguana), who was born on a tobacco farm in Grabtown; and Civil War Battle of Bentonville fought in 1865. Allen L. Mims, Jr., is Board of Commissioners Chairman.