No Kilts Allowed!

[froglady]

A local teenager was not allowed to attend his prom because he was wearing a kilt. He was wearing it with appropriate (for a semi-formal affair; he did NOT wear a weskit, etc that would have made it formal) accessories; a jacket, white shirt, knee socks and appropriate shoes...no sporran or dagger, that I could see. We live in an area that still has Kirkin of tartans in local churches, annual Highland games, etc so many people do wear their kilts on special occasions.

Should they have denied a girl wearing a sari or someone in any other semi-formal, but not US formal, dress? The article doesn't say if any male students who were not wearing a suit and tie were denied entrance.

This reminds me of the time I met DH on shore leave in the Bahamas; he had on his dress whites and he was questioned at a restaurant because he wasn't wearing a tie. The owner had to set the maitre'd straight; what he was wearing is equivilant to a dark suit and tie in civilian attire.

 

[Oreo Cookie]

I feel bad for the teen that he was not allowed to go to the prom. Shame on the school

 

[Cindyluwho]

He should go and wear lederhosen. That should shut them up! I can't believe he can't wear a kilt!

 

[Catananche]

What a shame for the boy. And it does seem unfair, particularly if the kilt is not that unusual in your area.


But I could be biased

The scruffy kilted look.

 

[tinatark]

Here's the newspaper story - he asked ahead of time, and was told it was not considered appropriate - Prom dress is up to the principals of the schools.

STEVE PATTERSON/Times-Union
You won't see bonny lad Miles Johnson, 13, wearing this kilt to J.E.B. Stuart Middle School, where officials say it is inappropriate attire.


Last modified 5/15/2007 - 12:17 am
Originally created 051507


Scottish-wear enthusiasts say kilt tilt puzzling




By Steve Patterson, The Times-Union


Eighth-grader Miles Johnson shows his Scottish pride by wearing a kilt to Christmas and Thanksgiving events - even to his father's wedding.

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But Duval County school officials have drawn the line at prom.

Johnson, a 13-year-old student at J.E.B. Stuart Middle School, said he wears a kilt when he wants to look dressed-up. That's part of the reason he donned it with a dress shirt and blazer for his middle school prom.

Where he was turned away because school administrators decided his kilt was inappropriate attire.

He eventually got inside, but only after he had to call his family and have them take a pair of pants to Ramona Pavilion on Saturday night.

"One of the things they teach us at school is tolerance, but they won't let me wear this? ... I don't see what the problem is," Johnson said. "It's Scottish, so I'm going to wear what I am."

Principal Jeanne Ballentine said a teacher had previously told Johnson, who helped prepare for the prom, that the kilt wasn't acceptable for the dance. The dance dress code was formal or semi-formal.

She said Johnson was being defiant by wearing it anyway, although the teen said he thought the teacher had relented prior to the dance. The principal said she would have probably turned him away even without the earlier warning.

"I didn't see it as acceptable," Ballentine said. She likened it to a student turned away last year for wearing a tuxedo jacket with shorts and tennis shoes.

She said young people know what acceptable garb is.

Johnson wore a Black Watch tartan kilt, a pattern worn by a storied Highland Scottish military regiment. He had shorts on underneath.

Kilt enthusiasts say they're worn at some of society's most formal and solemn moments, by people ranging from military bagpipers to England's Prince Charles.

"It's internationally accepted as formal wear," said David Wooten, a Charleston, S.C., businessman who launched the Web site realmenwearkilts.net. Wooten said he wears a kilt annually at the National Debutante Cotillion in Washington, an elite charity fundraiser.

Schools from Texas to Minnesota have rejected kilt-wearing youths at proms, and later faced criticism by kilt supporters and Scottish heritage advocates.

Duval County's school dress code doesn't mention prom attire, said Mary Anne Christensen, a school system spokeswoman. She said the school district leaves decisions on clothing to principals.

 

[ducklite]

I agree with the PP--if they turn away this semi-formal attire, I hope that a girl who shows up in a sari will also be turned away.

That said, I don't see a problem with a boy wearing a kilt to a prom as long as it's worn in the proper semi-formal manner, as opposed to this:

Anne

 

[debster812]

Oh what a shame. A boy in our town just wore his kilt to Jr. Prom and he looked OUTSTANDING.

 

[Jestocost]

Um, maybe he should have learned from the kid in Minnesota who was barred from his prom for wearing a kilt two years ago. Or at least come up with an original stunt to attract attention.

That said, the school is idiotic for taking that stance as was the Minnesota school.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

that's just wrong!!!!

men look very dapper in kilts!

a kilt is formal wear - it isn't as if he were dressing down or trying to be inconsiderate....I think this should have fallen under "don't sweat the small stuff" for the school district involved!

it isn't always about being a stunt......not sure it is right to make that assumption! We have a family in our neighborhood - from Scotland...I can assure you when the time comes, he will probably choose his kilt - it will be no stunt!!!!

 

[WeirdEyes]

That's just crazy! I think a man/boy looks fantastic in their kilts for formal/semi-formal occasions. And yes, they should've denied the girl in the sari also if they're spliting hairs. Poor kid!

 

[Todd&Copper]

Stories like this really get my goat! My DH wore a kilt for our wedding and it is most certainly formal wear. I think the Scottish Parliament should contact this "school" and tell them where to shove it if they think kilts are not formal.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

Brilliant.

 

[jonestavern]

Hmm..ridiculous!

DS was thinking of wearing his kilt, with formal jacket, shirt etc to his JR prom. He is definitely wearing it to his senior prom & also to graduation.
We also live in an area with a well known Highland Games & a lot of Gaelic/Celtic
pride & a pride in the traditional crafts & arts.

We don't consider it an attention getting 'stunt' at all!

Jean

 

[Amlee]

An these people are educators??? That is very sad, that uncultured people are in charge of teaching those children.

 

[ashjohnson80]

Kilts can be very formal!!! I've know a guy that got married in a kilt, it looked really nice.

 

[Danauk]

Although I live in the middle of England we have a huge scottish population here and boys at our local high schools wear kilts to their proms all the time, most of them wear their family tartan and dress kilts. My assistant from work got married last year and her husband and all the men in the wedding party wore kilts and they looked great (the groom even wore the kilt in the traditional way, if you know what I mean!!)

 

[olena]

Oh we had this at my HS in the 90s, but the word got out before the prom. The guy in question wanted to wear his family's formal kilt, so he had his heritage behind him and the school was even named for a Scotsman....McIntosh! I was incredulous that this was even an issue. Once the furor got revved up and a lawsuit was threatened, the school dropped its opposition and he wore it.

 

[edcrbnsoul]

I've been to many a formal occasion where men have worn kilts, I think its something that should be more common. I even like the less formal ones.

http://www.utilikilts.com/

 

[alabamaalan]

Am I right in assuming that J.E.B. Stuart was of Scottish descent?

 

[Talking Hands]

A local teenager was not allowed to attend his prom because he was wearing a kilt. He was wearing it with appropriate (for a semi-formal affair; he did NOT wear a weskit, etc that would have made it formal) accessories; a jacket, white shirt, knee socks and appropriate shoes...no sporran or dagger, that I could see. We live in an area that still has Kirkin of tartans in local churches, annual Highland games, etc so many people do wear their kilts on special occasions.

Should they have denied a girl wearing a sari or someone in any other semi-formal, but not US formal, dress? The article doesn't say if any male students who were not wearing a suit and tie were denied entrance.

This reminds me of the time I met DH on shore leave in the Bahamas; he had on his dress whites and he was questioned at a restaurant because he wasn't wearing a tie. The owner had to set the maitre'd straight; what he was wearing is equivilant to a dark suit and tie in civilian attire.

Ridiculous. That would be like saying that you can't wear a formal guaybara to prom. Try that in Miami. A kilt is just as formal as any suit and tie and should not have been forbidden.