US: School reverses decision to ban 9-year-old boy from wearing My Little Pony bag

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a pink background.

A North Carolina school that ordered a 9-year-old boy to stop wearing a My Little Pony bag because it caused bullying has reversed its decision.

Earlier this week, Grayson Bruce was told by Candler Elementary School that he was no longer allowed to bring in his My Little Pony lunch bag, as it was a “trigger for bullying”.

However, after the story received widespread attention, and a Facebook campaign to support the 9-year-old My Little Pony fan garnered over 65,000 supporters, the school has decided to go back on its original decision.

According to Citizen Times, Buncombe County Schools issued a statement yesterday, expressing “sincere regret” for banning the bag, and promising “a safety transition plan and an allowance for Grayson to bring [the bag] to school.”

Nicola Bruce, the boy’s mother, also revealed she had been in talks with the superintendent to change policy in future, and to make sure bullies are punished instead of victims.

She said: “We had a real heart-to-heart talk. I strongly feel we can work together to make things better for Grayson and all the students in our school system.”

“We appreciate all the support from the bottom of our hearts. That outpouring of love from everyone has been unbelievable and has given us the opportunity to shine a light on the different kinds of hurts kids experience at school.”

Last month 11-year-old My Little Pony fan Michael Morones was left comatose after attempting suicide over anti-gay bullying.

According to his family’s Twitter feed, Morones has since woken up and is progressing well in his treatment, but is likely to have suffered permanent damage

Comments (0)

MyPinkNews members are invited to comment on articles to discuss the content we publish, or debate issues more generally. Please familiarise yourself with our community guidelines to ensure that our community remains a safe and inclusive space for all.

Loading Comments