Ravens vs. Patriots: Baltimore School Takes Support for Ravens Way Too Far

The excitement leading up to Sunday's AFC Championship game between the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens has taken over both cities, but one Baltimore school took supporting the hometown team way too far this week.

Roland Park Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore was chosen by the Ravens to have students take part in a rally for the team on Friday, but they did not handle the situation right.

Per the Baltimore Sun:

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"Students must wear purple or Ravens attire to attend, as there will be many TV cameras there," one teacher wrote to parents in an email obtained by The Baltimore Sun. "Not wearing purple or Ravens attire means making a choice not to attend."

Another teacher emailed that "students must wear purple in order to attend. If your child does not wear purple or you do not wish them to attend, I believe staff will supervise the students in the library."

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One parent rightly spoke up and voiced his displeasure with the school.

Per Larry Brown Sports:

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“It’s about discrimination and an exclusionary policy that needs to be fought against,” a parent named Mark Brody said. “I like the town getting behind the team. I like Purple Friday. But this is about standing up for their right to just be themselves, to not have to pretend that you’re a Ravens fan to go to an event during the school day. I shouldn’t have to send my kid to school to have them sit in the library.”

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Thankfully there are smart parents like Mark Brody in Baltimore, because he is absolutely right. You don't send your kid(s) to school just to have them sit around when other kids enjoy themselves at a school event.

I understand that wearing purple at an event that would be on television makes sense, but making it a requirement to wear purple to attend is going too far.

Whether students were going to be forced to sit in the library or not, the school handled this situation quite poorly. Having young children being forced to wear team colors to go to a rally is unnecessary and wrong.

If the Ravens really wanted to have young people attend their team-sponsored rally, they should have chosen high school or college students for the event.