A name is an identity and an expression; it’s who we are. How would you feel if your child was not allowed to say their name at school because the administration deemed it inappropriate?

In 2012, this is exactly what happened to Grand Island Public Schools (GIPS) preschool student Hunter Spanjer.

At the time, Hunter was a 3-year-old deaf student who was told by his school district that he could not sign his name because the gesture resembled shooting a gun.

Hunter’s father Brian Spanjer has been teaching his son Signing Exact English (SEE) since his son was six months old because he prefers SEE to American Sign Language (ASL).

However, GIPS teaches ASL to deaf students, as recommended by the Nebraska Department of Education. Hunter had always signed his name using SEE.

Under GIPS’s policy, all students are forbidden “to knowingly and voluntarily possess, handle, transmit or use any instrument in school, on school grounds or at school functions that is a firearm, weapon, or looks like a weapon.” And apparently, Hunter gesturing his name was just that.

Hunter SEE

The news of Hunter’s story sparked widespread media attention on news outlets such as The Huffington Post, Fox News, Daily Mail, and 1011 News. A Facebook page called “Let this Deaf Child Keep His Name Sign” was also created, which garnered media attention and over 5,000 likes in the first week alone.

When the ACLU of Nebraska found out about this issue, we were the first organization to leap to the family’s aid. We sent a letter to GIPS warning them that not allowing Hunter to use his name is against his freedom of expression rights and we encouraged them to rethink their decision.

The school reversed its decision after the community’s outpour and the ACLU’s letter, allowing Hunter to sign his name the way that he always has! 


2016 is the 50th anniversary of the ACLU of Nebraska. We will feature several memories from our five decades of defending freedom in the Cornhusker state here. Do you have a favorite memory? Share it with us!