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Letter to the Editor – Submitted by Candy Corty
Another change Grimes has brought with him from the lower 48 is the implementation of a new, less relaxed dress code. Relaying that such dress codes are common in the lower 48, Grimes has called that students will no longer be permitted to wear items such as holey jeans, distractive hair colors, piercings’ other then in the ears and shirts below the crotch must be tucked in. these changes are said to help limit distractions caused by a persons appearance. Students will no longer be able to wear hats in the school building, pants should not sag or show underwear, and there are to be no long shirts which is said to be for safety reasons. (Excerpt taken from the Delta wind)
Why is it that whenever a new principal is hired from the lower 48, they bring with them all these ideas of making us, and our kids, better? As if we were desperately broken without them. I just read the article about the new High School principal, and I am furious. He speaks as if he is our children’s “Savior” now that he is here.
I am not the only parent who feels this way. The article says only 2 parents have called to complain, I know there are more parents who simply feel it is useless to call because it does nothing.
You can call you can voice your views and it means nothing if it is not the same views he shares. Just because the lower 48 has something in their dress code does not mean it should be applied here. It is the most ridiculous reason in the world to do something just because that is how those people do it.
We teach our children this at home, don’t we? Just because Jane Doe wears designer jeans does not mean you have to. Some of the rules in the article do make sense but these specific ones are common sense such as not wearing pants that show your underwear, which of course, is a good rule. The rest I have a tough time seeing as anything but control issues on his and the school’s behalf. It is not the schools business if I allow my child to have a different hair color, which allows her to express herself. It is none of the school’s business if I allow my child to get her belly button pierced.
I disagreed with the hat rule when I was on the rule policy committee, as well. I do not think kids wearing hats as part of there clothing is hurting anyone. It would make more sense to me to make it a rule that these hats have to be removed while in a classroom. Some girl’s hats are part of an outfit. School seems to think these are acts of deception that could lead to who knows what. These rules have gotten progressively worse year after year. Why is it that bare shoulders are now taboo in school? Was there a fear of girls being molested by young men Were these girls naked shoulders so provocative the school was in fear for the male staff being to distracted to teach? Was there a fear of boys not concentrating because a bare shoulder is such a distraction to them? I agree with skirt length without leggings or jeans, but what are they afraid of if a girl wears a shorter skirt with jeans under it, or leggings (stretch pants)?
Long shirts are now a safety hazard? To who? For what reason? I wear long t-shirts sometimes does this make me a threat or put myself in danger? NO. Jeans with holes in them no longer allowed?
Come on, this is just an over empowered group of people finding ways to prove it to the student body and parents. We are supposed to be teaching tolerance to our kids and acceptance.
If my daughters hair colors are distractive, then what about a teacher with a bad hairpiece or a kid with crutches or a disabled kid in school? Are they not distractions? We want the kids to learn tolerance of these distractions but we telling them to change anything about themselves that may be distractive to a few people?
I have news for Mr. Grimes, I’m sure he already knows this, but not every school in the lower 48 has all these rules he finds “so helpful”. Shirts below the crotch must be tucked in? I’m thinking this is one more way to enforce the no pants showing underwear rule which I can understand, but if a student proves he or she is in fact wearing pants that clearly cover their undergarments, then that shirt should be left alone.
The more you push these kids and us parents with ridiculous rules over clothing, the more they are going to rebel. I plan to fight for my children, and my right to freedom of expression.
This is a public school and if they want to keep adding more and more and more restrictions, then they should just have the guts to implement school uniforms already. However, if that were to happen, I would like to see staff uniform requirements as well. I think, and I know I am not the only one who feels this way. I also wish the school would spend more time and effort on counseling for bullies.
More time teaching the kids in school who are telling other students they are going to burn in hell for reading Harry Potter or for wearing a band t-shirt that what they’re doing is very wrong.
For six years this issue has been brought to me by all of my kids and it has never been dealt with harshly enough. I say that because it is still happening every year. I am also not the only parent dealing with these issues. More time should be spent on many other issues in school that are far more serious. Clothing, hair, jewelry, and what is next? How much eyeliner my daughter can wear? Where do these pointless rules end?
How silly will they get before more of us say something. I suggest if you feel the way I do that you make it known to more people than just parents.
Please call or write the school principals. Visit the school and see for yourself. The Middle school has a P.D.A. rule right now that is riddled with faults. I call whenever another one comes up. Do you know your child can get a citation for hugging their friend goodbye?
My child was given a warning for skipping down the hall with her girlfriend arm-in-arm singing “Follow the Yellow Brick Road”. Until the teacher told the girls to stop with the public display of affection, they thought what they were doing was innocent. My daughter came home thinking this teacher was calling her and her friend lesbians.
Sometimes common sense should show over a rule meant to keep teenagers from making out in school.
It really appears to me that teachers can act as they wish for the most part with little or no repercussions Making a complaint about teachers behavior appears to do little more then possibly get them a tap on the wrist. However if your child gets in trouble there are consequences. Mr. Grimes if fixing broken things in our school system is your goal then I ask that you look into these issues first before taking away my child’s constitutional rights.