The Observation Deck

hate crime ??? clicky

Robert Anglen
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 27, 2007 03:05 PM

[quote]A Glendale elementary school principal has admitted to telling a 9-year old boy that it is OK to have racist feelings as long as you keep them to yourself.

“As we said to (the boy) when he was in here, in your heart you may have that feeling, and that is OK if that is your personal belief,â€Â

That's not a hate crime - a very broad definition of a hate crime would be something that inflects physical or severe emotional harm - inciting violence.

This is inappropriate language and should be treated as such. I also don't think it is anyone's place to tell this child that those kinds of feelings (in their heart) are good. This would infer that the heart is a place to keep bad feelings. Bad lesson to a 9 year old kid.