Schools are banning Snowman shirts???

[momof3disneyholics]

http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=13855

 

[disykat]

I hope people read the link before starting their anti-school rants.

 

[phorsenuf]

Here's the article...I emphasised the part that explains why school officials are concerned.

NEW YORK (AP) -- One of the hottest-selling T-shirts around the country shows a simply drawn snowman with a menacing expression.

It's not Frosty's evil twin. The image popularized by drug-dealer-turned-rapper Young Jeezy symbolizes those who sell a white substance known on the street as snow: cocaine.

Anti-drug campaigners and education officials are alarmed, saying the T-shirt and others like it are part of sophisticated marketing campaigns using coded symbols for drug culture that parents and teachers are not likely to understand. Some schools are banning kids from wearing the snowman images.

"The snowman is made of white, grainy stuff like sugar," said 12-year-old seventh-grader Mailik Mason, standing next to his mother in a Manhattan store selling the snowman shirts. "It has to do with a certain drug, crack or coke."

Young Jeezy's hit debut album, "Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101," peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard album charts. On one of his songs he raps, "Get it? Jeezy the Snowman / I'm iced out, plus I got that snow, man."

The shirt was first produced solely for Jeezy by Miskeen Originals, a hip-hop fashion firm in New Jersey, the company says. The owner, Yaniv Zaken, says his artists produced a handful for the rapper to wear on TV appearances.

They then sold a larger batch to retailers, but pulled them when Zaken discovered that his employees had not licensed the T-shirt from Jeezy.

"I wasn't sure what the snowman meant until the artist explained to me that it was a drug dealer, the man delivering snow," Zaken said. "Now everyone is selling the snowman -- all unlicensed. It's become a street-hood hit worldwide."

A spokesman for Young Jeezy's record label, Def Jam Records, confirmed that the rapper held the rights to the snowman image but declined to comment on complaints that it was sending children the wrong message.

"This is part of a phenomena in which parents have no idea what their children are exposed to. There is a code that children are aware of but not parents," says Sue Rusche, president and CEO of the anti-drug group National Families In Action.

Rusche's organization has tried to pressure companies that they believed were targeting children with drug messages, like fashion companies marketing "heroin chic" in the 1990s. She was unaware of the snowman T-shirt.

Mason says he'd like to have a snowman T-shirt -- but that his school in Brooklyn has banned it. His mother, Autherine Mason, 34, said she had been unaware of the snowman's meaning and wouldn't buy it for her son now that she knows.

Dr. Gilbert Botvin, director of the Institute for Prevention Research at Cornell University Medical College, has been studying what influences children to use drugs and alcohol. He believes that pop culture does play a role.

"The research tells us that influences coming from the media can have a profound effect on kids and influence them to use drugs," he says. "All of these things help to convey the impression that engaging in these behaviors using drugs is normal and that drugs might help you be successful or sexy or something."

Botvin says parents need to educate themselves about the media their kids are consuming and pressure schools to monitor what messages they allow students to advertise.

But sometimes it's hard to overcome the buzz on the street.

Ali Kourani, a Manhattan wholesale salesman, says the T-shirt is their top seller across the country.

"It's big money," Kourani said.

 

[belle_of_the_ball]

wow...the kid who sits next to me in Science was wearing one of them....Didnt know it had that kind of meaning....seriously people....IMO being a drug dealer is not something to be proud of...and the guy who made these shirts...betcha he was on that white snow at the time

 

[dmslush]

http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=13855

Did you read the article, and if so, why would you ANY child to wear one of those shirts??

 

[Sparx]

I don't blame them. Those shirts advertise drugs. Thats like wearing a gang shirt, its just gonna get someone hurt.

 

[eeyore kelly]

I totally agree with the schools on this one. No child should wear these.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I don't blame them. Those shirts advertise drugs. Thats like wearing a gang shirt, its just gonna get someone hurt.

Very wise.

 

[jajuan]

I was ready to get on and say that my child could wear a snowman shirt and I would fight for it. After reading the article...heck no...my child would be grounded for life if they brought this shirt home.

 

[Daxx]

Thanks for the heads up on this. With all my nieces and nephews, I'll be sure to let their parents know about this type of thing. And, b/c it's unlicensed, it's sure to pop up all over the place.

ETA - I wonder how many parents bought these unknowingly ... or how many kids have them w/parents not realizing what's all behind them?

 

[minnieandmickey]

I work in a school office (6,7, and 8 grade) and we have had 2 kids come in with those shirts, and we had them change them as well. I think some parents are buying these not knowing what they really represent. Just realize that these shirts come in many different styles, the first child's shirt was very plain and stated "it's snow....man", that was the one that I had to get my vice principal's opinion on because I had no clue what these shirts were representing at the time, very naive of me I guess. The second shirt the snow man was very "bling bling" I guess I could say. I have a feelling that I will be sending notices out on these to parents.

Funny thing about this (actually it is sad), I won't be able to decorate the office with any snowmen now. Like I tell the kids, only takes on person to ruin it for everybody.

 

[Daxx]

Funny thing about this (actually it is sad), I won't be able to decorate the office with any snowmen now. Like I tell the kids, only takes on person to ruin it for everybody.

OMG - really? Even if they're plain and simple snowmen (w/o grainy stuff on them)? That's terrible b/c they're the icon of winter!!!!

 

[Sparx]

Very wise.

Thanks.

 

[chell]

ETA - I wonder how many parents bought these unknowingly ... or how many kids have them w/parents not realizing what's all behind them?

That is what I wonder as well.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

When I was in 6th grade, I wore my brother's t-shirt to school...it said "gas, *** or grass..nobody rides for free."

It had a cartoon picture of a guy on a motorcyle, some chick with much cleavage, and what LOOKED like a cigarrette hanging out of his mouth.

I did not understand why my mom was called to bring me another shirt. I mean, this was the late 70's and grass was cool.

We never saw that shirt in anyone's drawer again. Mom was clueless, until the school clued her in on pop culture. I hope today's parents will make a point to find out what is out there, and what it MEANS.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Thanks for posting the article. I wouldn't have known the meaning and I am glad I do. I have seen the shirts and sybols before.

However that doesn't mean I am going to through out my 4 year olds Carters snowman shirt.

Are the schools baning snow man all together, or the these sybolic ones?

(BTW I agree the schools should ban the use of these particluar sybmols on shirts, hats ect...)

 

[disneyjunkie]

I just asked my son about the shirts. (He' 14, 9th grade)


He said that a line of sneakers; called Dough Boys; are also coming out to match the shirts.

 

[Daxx]

He said that a line of sneakers; called Dough Boys; are also coming out to match the shirts.

And, what does Dough Boys refer to? Anyone know? Does it have to do w/all the "dough" (cash$$) the dealers make? Or, is there some drug that's known as "dough"?

 

[disneyjunkie]

And, what does Dough Boys refer to? Anyone know? Does it have to do w/all the "dough" (cash$$) the dealers make? Or, is there some drug that's known as "dough"?

 

[Sparx]

And, what does Dough Boys refer to? Anyone know? Does it have to do w/all the "dough" (cash$$) the dealers make? Or, is there some drug that's known as "dough"?

A dough boy is a drug dealer. (usually a rich one)