Dru Lechert-Kelly, 11, Banned from Wearing Barack Obama Mask in Skit, Principal Steve Powell Says Mask "Inappropriate, Potentially Offensive"

Michael Lloyd/The Oregonian

President Barack Obama has been caricatured on "Saturday Night Live" in a skit and that prompted the Llewellyn Elementary School principal, Steve Powell, to ban Dru Lechert-Kelly, a fifth grader, from performing while wearing it at his elementary school talent show. The principal decided that the rubber likeness of the 44th president was "inappropriate and potentially offensive." Ouch.

The fifth-grader decided to dress up like his role model and dance to a popular YouTube song that features an Obama look-alike dancing to a parody called "I Can Do Whatever I Like." Dru performed the skit in front of teachers and students during a rehearsal for Llewellyn's annual talent show Thursday. He wore a navy blue suit, white shirt, red tie, black shoes and an Obama mask purchased at a costume shop. The choreographed routine ended with Dru on the floor in the splits.

The principal, without seeing the skit firsthand, made the decision to ban the mask. Personally, I don't have a problem with the boy wearing the mask, but I do understand the principal's decision. There was nothing racist about the skit, in my opinion, but I think we have become so sensitive to race issues in this country because of the actions of a few racist people. The principal did overreact and should have at least watched the skit first before taking such drastic action, but in the final analysis, there will always be Barack Obama masks, much like President George W. Bush, President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton masks.

Watch the clip and judge for yourself....

Local school says no to Obama act