Son wants to protest new school dress code(which would likely get him into trouble)

[Kallison]

You mean no wearing pants underneath your butt so the crotch hangs to your knees and you have to shuffle ridiculously down the hallway?

I don't understand the no wearing black.

Sometimes you have to follow rules, you might not always like them and often they have dress codes at work in the real world. I would make my kid abide by the rules.

 

[6_Time_Momma]

Sorry, you did say that it would not be allowed, but then later in your post you asked how to CONVINCE him not to try and break the rules...That's where the parental authority should step in, IMO.

Yes, we told him no. However, believe it or not, kids disobey sometimes.

 

[buddy&wooz]

I'd tell my kid to follow the rule. But I'd also tell him if he doesn't like the rule he should find a way to try to try to change it (ie going to a school board meeting.) I'd never expect or want my kids to just blindly follow rules "just because"- even my rules. They know why I have rules, they are allowed to argue with me if they disagree (respectfully, yelling, whining and crying shut down the conversation), and try to convince me otherwise, and on rare occasion I've actually changed my mind.

How else will they learn that rules and laws usually exist for good reason, but sometimes it's worth it to try to change them?

 

[Beth76]

That dress code is outragous!!!!! My high school colors were Black & Gold, so on any given day there were a group of kids wearing black (their uniforms) to show support for their team. No Jackets??!!! My school was also FREEZING most of the time. And you have to wear belts? Huh? I just don't get that one at all.

Perhaps this problem could be solved if more parents took a stand. School administrators (or whoever is making these rules) are not likely to listen to the kids, if they're coming up with these crazy ideas.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

STUDENT DRESS CODE
All students are expected to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to dress
appropriately for school and school functions including extracurricular and athletic activities.
Students and their parents have the primary responsibility for acceptable student dress and
appearance. Teachers and all other District personnel should exemplify and reinforce acceptable
student dress and help students develop an understanding of appropriate appearance in the school
setting and at school activities.
A student’s dress, grooming and appearance, including hair style/color, jewelry, make-up
and nails, shall:
• Be safe, appropriate and not disrupt or interfere with the educational process.
• Recognize that extremely brief, tight and short garments such as tube tops, net tops, halter
tops, spaghetti straps, plunging necklines (front and/or back), see-through garments and
garments which expose bare midriffs are not appropriate.
• Ensure that underwear is completely covered with outer clothing.
• Include footwear at all times. Footwear that is a safety hazard will not be allowed.
• Permit head covers in school; however, head cover in classrooms are at the teacher’s
discretion except for a medical or religious purpose.
• Not include items that are vulgar, obscene, libelous or denigrate others on account of race,
color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability or gang related.
• Not promote and/or endorse the use of alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs and/or encourage
other illegal or violent activities.
Each building principal or his or her designee shall be responsible for informing all students
and their parents of the student dress code at the beginning of the school year and any revisions to
the dress code made during the school year. Additionally, the principal or his or her designee shall
have the authority to determine what is a violation of the “Dress Code.”
This code is designed to be a guide and is by no means all inclusive. Final decision concerning
the appropriateness will be made by the building administrator.
Students who violate the student dress code shall be required to modify their appearance by
covering or removing the offending item and, if necessary or practical, replacing it with an
acceptable item. Any student who refuses to do so shall be subject to discipline, up to and
including out-of-school suspension. Any student who repeatedly fails to comply with the dress
code shall be subject to further discipline, up to and including out-of-school suspension.
• Committing an act of violence (such as hitting, kicking, punching, and scratching) upon a
teacher, administrator or other school employee, or attempting to do so.
• Committing an act of violence (such as hitting, kicking, punching, and scratching) upon
another student or any other person lawfully on school property, or attempting to do so
• Possessing a weapon. See Board of Education Policy #5535. Authorized law enforcement
officials are the only persons permitted to have a weapon in their possession while on school
property or at a school function.
• Displaying what appears to be a weapon.
• Threatening to use any weapon.
• Intentionally damaging or destroying the personal property of a student, teacher,
administrator, other District employee or any person lawfully on school property, including
using graffiti or arson.
• Intentionally damaging or destroying school District property.
Engage in any conduct that ENDANGERS THE SAFETY, MORALS, HEALTH OR
WELFARE OF THEMSELVES AND/OR OTHERS. Examples of such conduct include
but are not limited to:
• Lying to school personnel.
• Stealing/acquiring the property of other students, school personnel or any other person
lawfully on school property or attending a school function.
• Defamation, which includes making false or unprivileged statements or representations about
an individual or identifiable group of individuals that harm the reputation of the person or the
identifiable group by demeaning them.
• Discrimination, which includes the use of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender,
sexual orientation or disability as a basis for treating another in a negative manner.
• Harassment, including bullying, which includes a sufficiently severe action or a persistent,
pervasive pattern of actions or statements directed at an identifiable individual or group
which are intended to be, or which a reasonable person would perceive as ridiculing or
demeaning.
• Intimidation, which includes engaging in actions or statements that put an individual in fear
of bodily harm.
• Hazing, which includes any intentional or reckless act directed against another for the
purpose of initiation into, affiliating with or maintaining membership in any schoolsponsored
activity, organization, club or team.









maybe you could use this as an example of a good code --- and have your son work to change the code instead of eliminating it.

 

[Beth76]

Why is it that the "Goth" look is unacceptable, but the "Preppy" look is fine. What if, one day, some over-worked, over-stressed, -over-challanged preppies donned their usual Polo and khaki pants and came into school and starting shooting people? Would those be banned from schools? Or what if the same thing happened while someone was wearing their school uniform? What a person wears does not change their behavior or attitude.

 

[MHopkins2]

Originally posted by Beth76
Why is it that the "Goth" look is unacceptable, but the "Preppy" look is fine. What if, one day, some over-worked, over-stressed, -over-challanged preppies donned their usual Polo and khaki pants and came into school and starting shooting people? Would those be banned from schools? Or what if the same thing happened while someone was wearing their school uniform? What a person wears does not change their behavior or attitude.

ITA, I just didn't have the energy to go there.

 

[battricia]

You may, or may not want your son to read up @ the aclu website

this is an interesting article on a girl who wore an armband in protest to school uniform rules.

from the article:

"The ACLU exists to remind such officials that schools are not prisons, students are not inmates and the vigilant protection of constitutional liberty is nowhere more vital than in the community of American schools."

There are many more articles on the site as well.

I personally feel that civil rights aren't always going to be protected by just sitting back and saying 'it's not worth getting in trouble for..'

I realize this cause isn't nearly as revolutionary, but for the people who said 'well it's not worth it if all the other kids decide not to do it and he's the only one'.. : rosa parks was only one person who refused to sit at the back of the bus 'just because it wasn't worth getting introuble for..'

tricia.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

I agree your son should protest, but find a creative way to do so.

When I was in law school, we had a student come in as a guest speaker to our class once...when he was in high school, he and his brother challenged the dress code in his school (it had to do with banning T-shirts with slogans). It ended up going to court and guess what? He won. And his desire to be a lawyer (which he is now, and a quite successful one) was cemented.

Anyway, I would start by having everyone who wants to protest wearing a dark navy blue...not black after all. But dark enough. Challenge the boundaries creatively....like an earlier poster mentioned have everyone dress in obnoxious clothing within the rules. There are ways to protest and test the limits without breaking rules.

Following rules is one thing, but sitting back complacently because you can't be bothered when you do not agree with something is quite another.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

As a HS teacher I don't understand how they can get away with "no black" (which btw would eliminate about 25% of my already limited wardrobe). But I also think the belt rule is an attempt to cover up the boys who are stupid enough to show their boxers. However, I can give you two examples today of boys with belts who were still wearing pants 2 sizes too big so they were hanging way down.
I wish all schools would enforce dress codes. I am much more worried about our "young ladies" turning into "loose women" (not the word I want to use but it won't get deleted!) than I am worried about the ACLU sticking their nose into every blessed thing out there. No, schools aren't prisons but some of these kids must have parents who just don't care or leave before the kids do. I am SICK of seeing girls thongs when they sit down, or their bellies when they walk down the hall! And when you call them on it they just pull it down until you are out of sight. If they are all expressing their individuality then I also worry about the morals of the future! I'd rather see 10 "goth" kids than one of these sleezy girls! But for pete's sake let the schools run themselves and let the ACLU keep its super liberal nose out of things.
Robin M.

 

[LScot]

Our dress code is if your pants have beltloops then you must wear a belt. I suppose a lot of kids who might not want to wear belts cut the loops off.

As for it not doing any good, well, the other part of the rule is that the pants must not sag or whatever that is called. I must say, this year the boys at school look a lot better with their pants looking decent on them. But then again, I rarely ever see "saggers" anymore.

We also have to wear collared shirts tucked in at all times with no bellys showing. The girls look better this year also.

 

[lindajo]

My biggest concern would be that if he did go ahead and do something "against policy" that it would be put on his permanent record, and possibly hurt his chances of getting into a college of his choice. I don't know, maybe that kind of rebellion might be attractive to some schools, but to me it wouldn't be worth the risk. It sounds like the school board is trying to do what they can to make the school a safe, productive workplace. I can't imagine why they would promote such a dress code just for kicks or spite.