October 3, 2007
High School Expels Student Over Topless Photos
Hey, teenagers: Avoid nude digital photos. Don't pose for 'em, don't take 'em. Just like nothing good happens after 2 a.m., nothing good happens when you snap nudie pics.
Pierre Steel, 15, is learning this lesson the really hard way: He was expelled from Loyola Academy after showing some of his football teammates topless photos he took of his girlfriend. Steel's father, Ray Washington, told the ST that he thinks Steel's expulsion was racially motivated. Steel is black, the girl is white, and the friend whose house the photo was snapped in is also white, as is 82 percent of Loyola's student body. And now, the Millions More Movement and the Nation of Islam have scheduled a rally supporting Steel at the school tomorrow afternoon. We called Millions More HQ to confirm details and were told that no firm info would be available until tomorrow morning, and even then only through Final Call.
Loyola Academy posted this statement on their site:
An article appeared in the Sun Times this morning concerning a student who was recently asked to leave Loyola Academy. The article stated a rally will be held by the Millions More Movement and the Nation of Islam tomorrow afternoon, Thursday, in support of this student. At this time, after some inquiry, we have been unable to confirm that the rally will be held. Nonetheless, we want to be prepared and communicate with our families. Loyola has consulted with the Wilmette Police to make certain appropriate precautions are taken to maintain a safe environment for our students.School will be held as usual tomorrow. The situation involving this student is unfortunate and has required Loyola to make a decision based on its values and stated policies. Some people have criticized and challenged these values and policies in this situation. We continue to stand by the values which have served Loyola Academy since 1909.
The school also says that the girl didn't consent to having her photo taken. Washington says, "Pierre was wrong, most definitely, but not expulsion wrong."
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Does that also mean the MMM and the Nation of Islam will be rallying on behalf of this kid, no matter what race he is?
It's not clear to me from either this story or the Sun-Times story. . . does the girl go to Loyola? And what about the other guy - the one who's house was where the pics were taken - does he go to Loyola? If so, why weren't all 3 disciplined equally?
And, OF COURSE, MMM and the Nation of Islam will be rallying behind that kid from St. Charles who did the same thing with his girlfriend. They support all races equally. RIGHT.
Someone explain to me the difference between "wrong" and 'expulsion wrong".
OK, don't pose for topless photos, and don't take topless photos. Got it.
But is it OK to just look at topless photos, when your state legislator puts them on the overhead projector?
LOL at the Daily Herald article:
"A 14-year-old St. Charles boy faces felony charges after police say he forced a girl [...] to take pornographic photos of herself and distribute them over the Internet.
"The investigation found the boy had threatened a 14-year-old girl, telling her to take 'several illicit photographs of herself,' then instructed her to e-mail them to an account he had created, police said in a news release."
I bet he saw Live Free or Die Hard and told her there was a bomb planted in her computer that could be remotely triggered if she didn't do it.
I love when people think they can apply the same pressure to private institutions that they could to say, a public school.
I'm sorry, but it's a private religious school, and they can do whatever they want. I'm sure they have an honor code that prohibits stuff like that.
Just like you probably can't eat a pork sandwich with an Old Style in the cafeteria at 73rd and Stony.
When in doubt, play the race card.
I hope the Wilmette coppers put a quick end to the NOI's protest tomorrow and that LA stays true to its guns: they're a private institution and they can throw out anyone they want. Remember, there are different levels of guilt for all parties involved, if they are even guilty at all. Remember, LA didn't go to the media. They don't have to. It was this kid's dad, and making excuses for his son and playing the race card are a complete load of crap.
Wait a second, the article here nor at the Sun Times mentions the age of the female subject.
If she's under 18 you're damn right his actions aren't "expulsion wrong"!
They're a lengthy prison sentence and lifetime as registered sex offender wrong for the production, possession and distribution of child pornography our nations biggest and most evil taboo next to terrorism!
If the girl is a minor and he showed the picture to others doesn't that make his guilty of possessing and distributing child pornography? Getting asked to leave school should be the least of his worries.
Pierre used to go to my middle school, we had a few classes together. Pretty nice kid, but got kicked out for finding weed in his locker. How the hell did he end up at loyola academy??
As a private institution, they're free to expel anyone for whatever they want, sure. As long as their rules were clearly communicated prior to enrollment. Were they? If so, I don't care about this, whatsoever. They were fully justified. If not, they should reverse their decision. Either way, I don't see what this has to do with race. Just because the kid was black, eh? So what.
Black guy dating a white girl. His goose was cooked. If he was at her house and able to take nude pictures of her, he was most likely giving her a taste of his summer sausage too, so ofcourse that is not going to go over too well with the powers that be.
When will brothers learn that the white woman is the Black Man's Kryptonite. Didn't the O.J. Simpson saga, the Kobe Bryant saga teach our men anything ?
How long before the pictures are on You Tube ?
Uh, like, hello, did anyone here GO to Jesuit school? I almost got kicked out for breaking dress code, and again once for laughing during Mass!
They would throw your ass out in three seconds for something like this.
Unless they have really changed, though, it will be funny to watch these organizations try to "pressure" them...like watching someone fight a tank with an ice cream cone. Catholics are possibly the last group of people in America who don't give a shit what anyone else thinks.
Oh, and I should mention, the students were much better behaved, grades and test scores were higher and there was a lot more school spirit than at public schools. (I went to both.) There's something to be said for strictness...you had fear of the priests! I went to public school too and the teachers spent half their time meekly begging the kids to be quiet.
Has it occurred to this father and any other opponent that Loyola is a private institution and can kick you out for lesser infractions? Who cares if he is black. Money is green in Catholic schools.
Has it also occurred to this father and any other opponents, THE NATION OF ISLAM ESPECIALLY, that a catholic school is a place of decency, respect, and sanctitiy, and nude photos, especially ones you have taken yourself, would be in violation of that?
They can expel you for not cutting your hair.
It's great that Loyola is sticking to its guns. Students of every race are helped by firm action such as this. Do something bad and there are consequences. Too many kids finish high school without learning that simple concept.
Of course, the esteemed editorial board of "Final Call" might disagree.
Rules are clearly stated in their handbook. Any kind of misconduct can result in you being kicked out of Loyola. Parents and students are aware of this. He is not the only one that has been kicked out because of misconduct. I am glad they stand behind their rules and do not back down to the "loud" parents.
I can hear MLK spinning in his grave...
Sure The New Guest Number 2 and Guest 7 with your "race card" talk.
We all know that in America there is no such thing as racist practicies and policies any more. Tisk tisk tisk for us to even question if race played a roll in this even though said student was the only one booted. Yes it was at best in poor taste. I would think the Jesuites could have come up with a better punishment like requiring him to work at a rape crisis center after school for the rest of the year and of course booted him off the Foot Ball Team, or better yet end the whole foot Ball Team. But the fact that he was the only one expelled, has race written all over it.
And I'm glade the NOI is going out there, it will give them something to do, they are as bout as usefull as those that refused to acknowledge
racism in America
Hey guest 12, are you really Dave Chappel? I hope so, I love your work man!
"Only one being expelled." Who else should be expelled?
Well, the naked girlfriend for one . . . IF she goes to Loyola Academy, which it's not clear from either the Chicagoist or the ST articles that she does. I don't think Jesus would like her taking off her clothes for her boyfriend very much.
Read the last sentence of the post. Of course it's not inconceivable she's lying, but it's not inconceivable she's telling the truth, either.
You're right, Spook, they're merely "questioning" if race was involved! I know whenever I "question" actions of my kids' school's administration, I always get the Nation of Islam involved and have a big rally!
I attended Loyola Academy for four years in the 1990's and I can tell you that it wasn't a "Jesuit school" in any meaningful sense, at least to the extent that 99% of the people who worked there were lay people. We had ONE Jesuit on the teaching staff and maybe one or two other non-Jesuit priests. Priests in general are pretty hard to come by these days.
Anyway, I have to say expulsion seems extreme if he didn't have a history of wrongdoing. When I was there some jackass circulated an "underground newspaper" with a pornographic description of "How I Fucked Ms. X", a teacher at the school. That guy was dragged out of a gym class swimming pool by the hairs on his head. I shed absolutely no tears for that punk, but I see a real difference here. "How I Fucked Ms. X" was vicious and degrading, "Look at my girlfriend's boobs" is just horny, assuming she did consent, and even then I agree he should never have shown the pictures. But expulsion? Really? Even at Loyola that seems strange. I don't know, it seems over the top, I agree with the kid's father.
As for the race angle, I'm sure it's not consciously racist but most racism isn't. And white people tend to get pretty uncomfortable with black hands on white boobs. Without knowing more, I can't say much more.
When are the free handouts going to stop? When is the "give a brutha a break" going to stop? Is it going to take white people enslaved for 200 years in this country to balance things out so everyone shuts the fuck up?
If you're concerned about your kid going to an 82% white school, and expect something to happen, you are setting everyone up. Worse than a girl trying to join the boy scouts.
"Pierre was wrong, most definitely, but not expulsion wrong."
It's not his decision! It's the school's...if this would have happened to me when I was younger I would have apologized and left with my head hung low. When I got home my parents would have reprimended me for embarassing them and being an imbecile.
He's 15. If she's under 18. Thats child porn!
It doesn't matter who took the photo or any consent.
He's lucky the DA doesn't press charges.
Race has nothing to do with it.
Well, I was on the fence about this until you all definitively proved that racism no longer exists.
Thanks!
As a former Loyola Academy grad, I can honestly say this punishment is fair and consistent with how they handle such matters. I do not think race factored into their decision at all. I graduated in the mid 90s and a student was expelled for writing a racy article about a teacher in an underground newspaper when I was there. I think showing your friends a naked picture of a classmate is a far worse offense than a make-believe article. I think the punishment is fair and just.
spook, I'm not all that GLADE personally. Maybe he was the only one expelled because he is the only one who took pictures of a girl and then brought them to a school function and showed them to people. As opposed to one kid who it appears had some friends over, and then a girl who had pictures taken of her. You tell me if they all should have had the same punishment.
Opps, My bad 28!. I think you're right.
on this. He's lucky that he doesn’t have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Good point.
Oh and Brutha Guest 26, I Just like you, also wonder when are the “free handouts going to stop”, specially the corporate ones? And When is the "give a brutha a break going to stop”?
Because I don't want to see white people enslaved for 200 years, plus another 250 years( I'm sure it was an oversight that you didn't mention this) of JIM CROW segregation, lynchings, castrations, burnings, raping, etc, etc,etc. In this country to balance things out so everyone shuts the fuck up?
This is why I'm for decent universal education for all Americans!
Including for all white people not just the very rich! Yes I’m talking about while folks like you brutha Guest 26!
Because as soon as West Virginian knuckle dragging Neanderthal NASCAR types and Archie Bunker Joe Six Pack types like you develop some sort of real economic, gender, and race consciousness, a very real danger exist
that stupid white people like you my Brutha, might very well drag the whole white race into slavery. I'm sure you keep abreast of international trends( because you read more than the Red Eye) that places you in the real minority and as you might have noticed lots of "colored" folk inside and outside of this country hate people like you.
If it is not about race then why is it that he was the only one expelled. Not the kid who served the alcohol not the kid who removed her shirt... Only the boy that was African American that took the picture! What was done to one child should have been done to all the children involved ;what morals did the girl that took the shirt of have? Or are her morals one that Loyola excepts? Enough is enough this was not fair ... And it seems to me that race was an issue or all parties involved would have been treated equally.
If it is not about race then why is it that he was the only one expelled. Not the kid who served the alcohol not the kid who removed her shirt... Only the boy that was African American that took the picture! What was done to one child should have been done to all the children involved ;what morals did the girl that took the shirt of have? Or are her morals one that Loyola excepts? Enough is enough this was not fair ... And it seems to me that race was an issue or all parties involved would have been treated equally.
I feel you 34, and I think you should ignore the Cave Men Guest as they experiment for the first time in their limited lives in the market place of higher thought patterns besides as oppossed to screaming at thier TV's during NASCAR races
But you have to admit, Guest 28, has a point.
I mean he did take and distribute pictures of a minor. I have a huge problem with this.
Where is there a mention of alcohol being served?
I go to loyola and it is clearly stated in the handbook that distribution of pornography is subject to a meeting with the dean and the possibility of expulsion. The girl did not consent for the pictures AND video.
Spook,
Do you work? Or are you just a self-righteous moron that bullies people from your local library's PC?
And by the way, I'm African-American.
Colorfully yours,
Guest 26
Pierre told a different story to Fox news last Friday. Something about he and his friends getting drunk but he opted to stay out of it. Only until he and his father had reached the Chicago Sun-Times did he mention anything about nude pictures of a girl. He did something worse than take pictures. He shot a video with one of his buddies of him having intercourse with the girl and the girl yelled "rape". He and his father have a lot more to worry about than expulsion. This kid should be ready for juvie. Loyola is very open to race. Every non-caucasian person there is treated equally.
Guest 26
Wow you're African-American? I'm soooo shocked!
So what? If you really are Black from what you wrote clearly you are self hating "brutha".
And no race has a clear
monopoly on stupidity, look at,
Clarence Thomas
The punk who killed "Cochise" in The Movie Cooley High,
O.J Simpson,
Jesse Jackson- and his wack sons,
R. Kelly,
Snoop Dog,
The sell-out who sold out Denmark Vesey and 9,000 other Black folks ready to fight for their freedom in 1822,
Bobby Brown,
Conda Sleeza Rice,
Boojangels,
Fiddy Cent
The fools who shot malcolm x
98 percent of the rappers on BET including Shawn Goofy Combs,
and Harry Woo Woo
I think Dave Chappelle is right!
We need an Racial Draft to clear this stuff up!
Its too confusion!
Maybe the Black deligation could trade you to the white race for for Eugene O'Neill,Tennessee Williams or Eminem, but they would not be that stupid.
The Mexicans wouldn't even give up Elvria Arellano for you :-)
OK, not that this has anything to do with anything, but how can you slam Condeleeza Rice? That woman is a walking brain who has never carried herself with anything but the utmost professionalism.
I understand if you don't like her politics, but can't you still respect people that don't agree with you? For instance, I am conservative, but I wouldn't say anything about Jimmy Carter... he's obviously an intelligent, well-meaning person.
I have an insiders POV here as someone who worked at LA for a number of years as an educator. The racial tensions at LA are very pronounced. The teachers are overwhelmingly white while the student body has become more and more diverse over the years. Many of the old guard don't see this "diversity" as progress and bemoan the "Dropping standards" and talk about the "old days". I remember attending a social mixer at the Jesuit residence and hearing all kinds of North Shore racial euphamisms.
To these people black students are problem students, dangerous kids who have to be handled with the most extreme measures. If a black kid was involved in a fight or argument he was assuredly getting the maximum punishment, where as with a white student there was alot more "discretion". The dean at the time and his staff liked to talk abut zero tolerance, but when a white kid was found with cocaine in his bag he got off with a suspension and counseling. A black student with a joint found himself expelled. Hearing a member of the Dean's staff talk about "these urban kids" being "uncontrollable" makes the situation clear to me.
If this kid had been white they'd have handled it in-house. I believe that down to my bones.
I could cite alot more specific examples of Racism (both overt and subtle), but I teach in a different, and far less racially divided, school these days and don't need the hassle.
And the Catholic schools in the area have something of an unofficial code about "honoring" each others expulsions. The kid is likely blacklisted from every Catholic school in the area.
the Suntimes article from today (10/5) adds some more intrigue. A police report concerning the incident was filed in Park Ridge allegedly claiming criminal sexual assualt. In Loyola's release, they never really said what the kid was expelled for and they probably shouldn't.
Loyola actually did the kid a favor. They let him "withdraw". He claims he is having trouble finding another school and that he can't because the other school wants to know what happened at Loyola. The only reason the new schools are asking is because the kids idiot dad, who is also a convicted violent offender, went to the press.
And can we talk about the irony of a racist organization like the Nation of Islam serving as some sort of moral standard in this incident.
oh and lets just try out four words here: Tawana Brawley: Duke Lacrosse...
Lets not start jumping to conclusion based on some opportunist injecting race into a sexual subject.
She was drunk, and he was her boyfriend.
She was drunk, and he was her boyfriend.
[46] Posted by: guest | October 5, 2007 4:32 PM
Sources? Tell us the facts then...
ANd, even if she was drunk and he was her boyfriend, that excuses what behavior exactly?
The Sun Times story is so ridiculously slanted and factually incorrect. Unfortunately, Loyola is bound by the law and cannot reveal the real facts concerning this situation. Because the main conflict is currently between Pierre and Loyola, the girl’s family doesn’t want her dragged into the media circus, therefore the story being printed is of the Steel family’s own concoction. Don’t believe everything you read. The truth is very upsetting and very sickening. Pierre got off easy. He is quite lucky the girl’s family dropped the case with the Park Ridge police, or else Pierre would be in some water far hotter than school expulsion.
Soure: I am a Loyola Academy student.
she wasn't her boyfriend, her own words. And even if she was drunk, one cannot consent when one is drunk. know the law, especially if she is a minor.
In response to "Simplecreature's" I have another much more accurate opinion of Loyola. I was a student at the school from 1996-2000. While at the school, I knew a lot of kids who were expelled for a variety of reasons. The vast majority of those students who were expelled were white.
Loyola is a school located in an affluent suburb of Chicago, but the student body is composed of a very diverse group of students. At Loyola, my friends were different races and came from different economic backgrounds. None of those differences mattered when we were at school. We all partipated in clubs and teams together. None of my friends ever experienced the types of problems that you are talking about. I think Loyola is actually one of the more diverse schools in the chicagoland area because there is a wide variety of students from all different backgrounds there.
Some of the comments made by Pierre's father are very unfortunate. Mr. Steel stated that Loyola only was concerned with their "Northshore Image." In response to this ridiculous claim, I would like to point out that a majority of the students at Loyola are not in fact from the Northshore at all. Coming from Loyola, I can assure you that the school's number one concern is for the safety and well-being of their students. What Pierre did violated someone's right to feel safe at school. Loyola is a college prep school which is concerned with providing students with an education that will allow them to continue on to a four-year college.
Loyola has a student handbook with all of the rules and regulations. I found it sad that Pierre's father seems to brush this fact aside and barely aknowledges that his son did something wrong that was against the rules.
Perhaps where my greatest frustration lies with this situation is with Pierre being made out to be a victim. Pierre took nude photos of a young underage woman and distributed them to members of the student body. If this really was Pierre's girlfriend, then why the heck did he take the photos and show them to his football team. I do not know a single man who would do that to a woman he cared about.
In the end, Loyola's actions have nothing to do with race. Pierre violated another student, and he earned his expulsion. Pierre is not the first nor will he be the last student to be expelled from Loyola. To go to Loyola, one needs to take an admission test, meet certain academic standards, and abide by certain rules. If one does not abide by the rules, then they might be asked to leave the school. Loyola is not a public school, and no one has to go there.
Oh also, in answer to some of the questions...
The young woman goes to Loyola. She is a junior, and she is underage. I know this because I have a sibling who goes to Loyola. Also, students who were shown the pictures told administration about the photos.