Three Girls Suspended for Saying "Vagina"

CROSS RIVER, NEW YORK - Three high school girls are suspended for saying the word "vagina" during a reading of the Vagina Monologues. The word was used in a reading from the Vagina Monologues Friday March 2, 2007 at an event sponsored by John Jay High School's literary magazine reports 7 News.

Principal Richard Leprine told 7 News on Tuesday that the girls were told when they auditioned that they were not allowed to use the word in the reading. Leprine said that because the event was open to the community, which included children, the word "vagina" was not appropriate reports 7 News.

However, Hannah Levinson, one of the girls who was suspended, told 7 News that they decided to use the word because they were comfortable with it and they wanted other people to be comfortable saying it as well. Further, the girls asserted that they "knew it was the right thing to do" says 7 News.

Megan Reback, another of the suspended girls, told 7 News on Tuesday that no one in the audience at the event was under high school aged and that she does not understand what they did wrong. She told 7 News, "What did we do that was so wrong? We were insubordinate, but the reason we were insubordinate was that we talked about our body."

Further, the girls told 7 News they had their parents support. Dana Stahl, the mother of the third suspended girl, Elan Stahl, aid, "To me they were reciting literature in an educational forum and they did it with grace and dignity."

Allegations of censorship have been prompted by this incident. However, Leprine told 7 News on Tuesday that, "When a student is told by faculty members not to present specified material because of the composition of the audience and they agree to do so, it is expected that the commitment will be honored and the directive will be followed. When a student chooses not to follow a directive, consequences follow."