Deaf Boy Hunter Spanjer Asked To Change Sign Language Name By His Pre-School VIDEO

Hunter Spanjer says his name with a certain special hand gesture, but at just three and a half years old, he may have to change it.

The 3-year-old-deaf boy has been asked by Grand Island Public School in Nebraska district to change the way he signs his name because the gesture resembles shooting a gun.

"He's deaf, and his name sign, they say, is a violation of their weapons policy," explained Hunter's father, Brian Spanjer.

Watch an interview with the family, and a demonstration of the gesture:

His family is completely outraged by the district's reaction. "Anybody that I have talked to thinks this is absolutely ridiculous," said Hunter's grandmother Janet Logue. "This is not threatening in any way."

The little boy uses the standard S.E.E., Signing Exact English. He crosses his index and middle fingers and waves them slightly to signify his name.

Howard Rosenblum, CEO of the National Association of the Deaf, told HuffPost his organization was prepared to assist the Spanjers with legal action if necessary. "A name sign is the equivalent of a person's name, and to prohibit a name sign is to prohibit a person's name," he wrote in an email.

A district spokesman told the Nebraska station the school was trying to come to the best solution for preschooler Hunter.

Despite whatever rules and regulations may exist, some Grand Islanders said they don't think its right to make a three year-old change the way he says his name.

"It's his name. It's not like he's going to bring a gun to school when he's three years old," commented Dana Schwieger.

"I find it very difficult to believe that the sign language that shows his name resembles a gun in any way would even enter a child's mind," Grand Island resident Fredda Bartenbach reflected.