Voice of the Mid-Columbia | Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, Wash. |
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closeAn 8-year-old's school project has caused a stir in West Richland.
The third-grader at Wiley Elementary included a photo of his father, Army Reserve Cpl. David Henes, in an autobiography assignment. The boy identified Henes as his hero.
But school leaders asked that the photo be replaced because it shows the soldier, who's in uniform, holding an M-16. The request upset Henes, 34, because carrying a weapon is part of his job, he said.
"It's just a picture of an American soldier," he said.
Mike Kirby, the district's assistant superintendent, said the request wasn't meant to be hurtful or offensive. School staffers thought a picture of Henes in uniform without a weapon would be more appropriate for the classroom, he said.
Henes agreed to switch out the photos, and his son was able to present the project, he said.
But "we're providing freedom. Part of that freedom (comes because) we're an armed force," he said. "... I don't think this is a fair thing."
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