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Student forced to wipe ashes off forehead in front of classmates


Student forced to wipe ashes off forehead in front of classmates (KSTU via CNN Newsource)
Student forced to wipe ashes off forehead in front of classmates (KSTU via CNN Newsource)
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A fourth grade student said he was told by his teacher to wipe off the ashes that were on his forehead to mark Ash Wednesday.

William McLeod attends school in Utah. He said that when he went to school on Wednesday, classmates asked about the ashes.

"I said 'I'm Catholic. It's the first day of Lent,'" he said. It wasn't long before a teacher approached him about the mark.

"The teacher walked over and said like, 'what is that?' And I was like it's Ash Wednesday and I'm Catholic. It's the first day of Lent and she was like, 'no it's inappropriate go take it off.'"

William said he was forced to wipe off his forehead as his classmates watched.

"I felt really bad."

The school's principal immediately called William's family to apologize. The teacher also apologized directly to William and is facing possible disciplinary action.

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