YORBA LINDA : Gretzky Fan Gets Kingly Treats

Justin Newton planned to collect lots of candy when he decided to be hockey star Wayne Gretzky for Halloween, but the second-grader got a lot more than he bargained for.

On Tuesday, Kings head coach Barry Melrose visited Newton’s school, Bryant Ranch Elementary, and presented him with an autographed picture of Gretzky, a Kings cap and a hockey puck and invited him to attend a game when the lockout-delayed season resumes. The visit was arranged after Melrose heard that the boy was asked to remove the black-and-silver jersey he wore to school on Halloween because the school bans such attire.

Bryant Ranch is one of many schools in Southern California that forbids students to wear jerseys, caps and other clothing items featuring the logos of several sports teams. Those logos and team clothes with black in their color schemes frequently are targeted by schools because they are thought to be favored by certain gangs.

The school’s dress code was drafted by parents, said George Bowman, the acting principal.

“The parents thought their kids could be in danger,” Bowman said.

When the school sent home a note asking that students wear sports-themed attire for Halloween, Val Newton bought his son the $34 jersey because Gretzky was Justin’s favorite athlete.

“I bought the jersey because I thought, from the note, that it would be OK that day for Justin to wear it,” Val Newton said.

Melrose said he understands the reason for the school’s dress code. But when he heard that Justin mistakenly thought Gretzky himself was in a gang and that therefore the jerseys were banned, he wanted to set the boy and his schoolmates straight.

“Gretzky is a great player and a good man,” Melrose told students gathered in the multipurpose room to hear him speak. “He gives back to the people and loves children.”

After the assembly, Melrose expressed frustration over the team being linked with gangs.

“Our players are good people,” Melrose said. “Wearing their (jerseys) should be a good thing. It’s unfortunate that some bad people have turned it into something else. It’s a pretty sad day in our country when a boy can get in trouble for wearing a jersey.”