Free Banana Man! Autistic student, 14, handcuffed, suspended for running across football field in banana costume (video)

It happened in Stafford, Va., where 14-year-old Bryan Thompson was detained by Colonial Forge High School authorities for wearing an unauthorized banana costume during halftime of a football game. Thompson, who has autism, thought it would be a good idea to run down one of the sidelines in the suit. But following his sprint he was met by school security, handcuffed, and placed in a police car. He was then suspended from school for 10 days, and may possibly be expelled.

Thompson’s crime? The school claims that he was causing “mayhem.”

In a letter to Thompson’s mother, the school principal wrote:

“The suspension of 10 days and the recommendation for long-term suspension for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year are the result of Bryan having: disobedience of an administrator, disrespectful behavior toward an administrator, disruption of an activity, refusal to follow directions of an administrator, any violation of the student handbook, including a continued disregard of the Student Code of Conduct and any other conduct considered by the principal to be disruptive and presenting an immediate danger to the welfare, health, and safety of any person in violation of rule #19, #20, #21, #54, #74, and #75 of the student code of conduct.”

In addition, several students came to school the following Monday wearing “Free Banana Man” t-shirts, which school officials promptly confiscated. They then gave detention to the students.

Nicely and neatly done, Colonial Forge High School. When do you annex the Sudetenland? Or are you going to skip that step and go directly to invading Poland? Idiots.

In a letter to school administrators, Thompson’s mother wrote in part:

I would also like to offer to purchase a Banana mascot costume for the school, for the thousands of children and parents that enjoyed seeing the banana run down the football field.

Taking something negative and turning it into something positive is always the best example to set for our children.

It would be awesome if she meant that as a sarcastic swipe at the anal-retentive, draconian school administration, but she was probably being sincere. Which is also tremendous.

And now, Banana Man: The terrifying raw footage:

***
Brian Thompson, student suspended for wearing banana suit at a football game vows to protest [New York Daily News]
Colonial Forge High School Student Suspended From School For Stunt in Banana Suit at Football Game [MyFoxDC]