Eighth Graders Arrested for Civil Disobedience at Middle School

It's a hard world in which to be emo these days, a reality which--let's face it--leads only to the unending spiral of thicker and thicker black eyeliner. In the past few months, emo culture has received extra scrutiny in connection with a number of disturbing headlines.

Girl, 13, Hangs Herself After Becoming Obsessed with Emo 'Suicide Cult' Rock Band

Anti-Emo Riots Break Out Across Mexico

Emo Cult Warning for Parents

Mexico's Emo-Bashing Problem

And now, the phenomenon has come to Washington State, albeit in a much less tragic manner. Four eighth graders from McLoughlin Middle School in Vancouver have been arrested for protesting their school's dress code. According to The Columbian's report on the incident:

Four officers escorted the students into the library and arrested the four boys, who were later released to their parents. They were suspended for the week; 13 other students were suspended for shorter periods, according to the district. The four boys were referred to the juvenile prosecutor’s office on two potential charges: noncompliance with a school official and disruption of school activity. There was no report of violence, perceived or threatened.

Does it really take four Vancouver police officers to arrest four fourteen-year-old boys who have done nothing violent? Especially four skinny jeans-wearing, obsessive bang-combing, possible guy-liner-devoted emo kids? That seems quite overzealous of the officers and school officials who called the police. Of course, the over-the-topness of using four police officers to arrest four non-violent teenagers mirrors the ridiculousness of arresting the kids in the first place. The school has every right to suspend the students, however it would seem to go against their own student handbook of rules. The handbook states: "[students are allowed to] peaceably assemble to bring attention to the district about issues." Every report Seattlest has read about the protest seems to indicate the kids were doing just that and got arrested anyway.

"Cheer Up Emo Kid" by Flickr Contributor Paleontour