Teen sent home from school for wearing rosary beads

A teen boy is suing his school for sending him home for wearing rosary beads in memory of his dead brother. Officials at Oneida Middle School in the city of Schenectady in the state of New York suspended 13-year-old Raymond Hosier several times for wearing rosary beads. They say their pupils aren’t allowed to wear beads outside their shirt because they often wear them as gang symbols.

However, Raymond says he was wearing the beads in memory of his older brother, Joey, who was holding them when he died in a bike accident. He told reporters, “When I wear the rosary beads, my brother’s memory is alive.” Raymond and his mother are now suing the school for violating his rights to free speech and religious expression.

Hear what Raymond has to say in this TV news report: