Grayson Bruce

Grayson Bruce is a 9-year-old boy from Buncombe County, North Carolina. He became known in March 2014 when the school he was attending banned him from bringing a My Little Pony backpack to school, prior to which he had been bullied by many of his classmates because of this backpack. The school's justification for doing so was that the bag “created a disruption” in the classroom, and that, since he had been bullied for bringing it previously, that it was a "trigger for bullying". Prior to the school prohibiting Bruce from bringing his backpack to school, his mother, Noreen, had consulted the school counselor to ask for help. The counselor told her to hide it, and the principal later told her to keep it at home. However, Noreen insisted that this was not the best course of action, saying, "You're missing the picture here. You're telling him that it's OK for them to make fun of him." Bruce is currently being homeschooled, and his mother met with the superintendent of the school he previously attended on Thursday, March 20 to discuss the backpack ban.
Reactions
Many reacted to the news of the ban by declaring their support for Bruce, with Glenn Beck bringing a My Little Pony toy onto his show. The ban also reopened a debate about whether, as Buncombe County Schools Director of Student Services David Thompson argued, children can "learn" bullying from the behavior of adults. After the ban was imposed, Noreen was among the many people who criticized the school district for making this decision, referring to it as "flawed logic" and calling for the bullies to be punished instead. Sean Williams, writing for Slate, opined that "anything a boy does that seems girly is openly mocked. And that mockery now has tacit approval in Buncombe County."
Voice actress Tara Strong, who voices Twilight Sparkle on the show, has lent her support, as well as show writer Meghan McCarthy.

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