Evolution and First-Amendment T-Shirts Upset Schools' Dress Codes

This is something that I was in trouble for all the time when I was in school. None of my shirts were graphic, they had no swear words on them and they were not short and sexy but if a teacher felt that they did not like the shirt they would tell you to turn it inside out.
The way I felt was If my mother approved them then they should be ok. Surprisingly my mom felt the same and told them when i got suspended that it was not thier right to pick out my clothes. We did not have any dress code besides the normal like no shirts that show your stomach, shorts had to be finger tip length on your leg and no swear words or gross stuff. Then they added the baggy clothes to it.
To this day I agree,
If they want to buy the kids thier clothes then fine they can pick what they wear. It is understandable that certain clothes are not a loud like what I listed above and then clothes that are too baggy and your underware is showing and the kids are tripping up the stairs because they are to long, people are pulling the pants down because they are too loose. girls should not wear shirts that thier stomaches show or they have som much clevageyou can see everything. common sense that is all. The shirt with out first amendment ahould be aloud,it is our right isn't it? We have to learn about this in school dont we? and the evolution we learn about that to in school. Home schooling my
kid I hear all the time that why would I want to shield my kid from being social, but you are not at school to be social you are there to learn so unless you look like a stripper or gangster then......
who cares what you wear you are there to learn. This is why my son does not goto school. they will not tell me how to raise or dress my kid and what he can and can not learn. I choose what he can and can not learn. Maybe the schools should pay more attention to the drug problems they have and not so much on what the students wear you
can be normal and just wear say jeans and a t shirt or what ever. as long as none of your body parts are hanging out, or there is nothing graphic on it or swear words. you get the point on the clothes thing. plus they need to focus on providing better saftey for our kids too.

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Well, one more reason to homeschool. Glad I will not have to worry about these issues with my kids.

I remember having dress code issues as a kid. My mom's take on it was that if they didn't like it, they could buy me new clothes to wear for school. I agree. I think dress codes are bs.

Kids are going to be distracting and get distracted no matter what they're wearing.

Not to mention that many times the teacher or principal is on a personal venture to make certain kids miserable. In 10th grade I was suspended on the first day because I wore a shirt that said "Make 7up Yours" the 2 BOYS wearing the same popular shirt did not get in any trouble.

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That's like this year I got in trouble for wearing a shirt supporting Air Force Security Forces because it had a skull with a sword behind it and to M-16s crossed behind it in an X - it promoted the use of weapons apparently. I could have even understood their reasoning if they had stopped the kids who were walking by at the same time with a purse that was printed with multi-color guns, a t-shirt with weapons, etc. Right, well now that you've managed to correct the one kid who only has weapons on her hoodie because she is supporting her brother who is serving in Iraq to protect your lazy ass you can continue on with your day.

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First off, for those of you who haven't read it lately, the First Amendment reads, in part... "CONGRESS shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech..."

CONGRESS shall make no law. Not "School Boards shall make no law". It is the school board's right, and responsibility, to make rules governing the running of a school. If that includes designating a dress code that will eliminate distraction - i.e.: banning political t-shirts during a highly politically charged time - it is well within their rights.

It is the parents' RESPONSIBILITY to keep tabs on their local school board. Too often, parents take the opinion that "public school is free" (it's not), and figure that, since they're not paying for it, they don't need to worry about it. Well, surprise, parents, you ARE paying for it. Your children are paying for it, too, with their futures. Parents need to get their butts into the seats at the school board meetings, and participate - read the minutes from last time, ask questions, clarify things. Require your school boards to apply COMMON SENSE to these rules that they make. There isn't a thing in the world wrong with a dress code, until it gets into ridiculous territory, like banning striped polo shirts.

Second, with respect to the band shirt. There is no reason in the world that the school should have backed down to the complaints of one parent. Evolution is a scientific theory, not a religion. The school was completely "in the right" when they allowed the T-shirts, and the shirts should be re-distributed to the students.

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Well, I used to be in favor of relaxed dress codes, for what I thought was the obvious reason - you can relax. Now every other day I read about these off-the-wall suspensions and lawsuits and this and that over a word or picture on a T-shirt. To me, that is not what school is for. The huge amount of money we put into public education needs to be spent on teaching, not fights between kids and adults over self-expression. Not belly-aching over how to walk the tightrope between political bias and an environment conducive to learning.

So maybe I'm just an old biddy, but I'm ready to say let's ban all printed t-shirts and such in school. There are plenty of outlets for kids' "self-expression" that don't waste my hard-earned tax dollars. And there have always been plenty of schools where t-shirts were 100% banned, and the kids who studied there have always managed to survive the injustice.

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I agree with LS, that parents need to be on top of decisions that the school boards make--sometimes without having a public vote or debate. More often than not, the parents that attend ARE the ones who are in favor of these outrageous bans.

As for dress codes, if they are going to be so outrageous as to ban patterns, then for god's sake, we should just be like England and all wear uniforms. Then at least the students wouldn't have to protest and they would be in school learning. The fact of the matter is that in this day and age fashion is about the only way students have to express their individuality, and if the schools are focusing more on the way a student dresses, rather than what they learn, then their priorities are very skewed. I believe that as long as the clothing is appropriate (i.e, not too short or too long, no swear words on shirts), then there is no harm, and if parents don't like it, don't buy those things for your child or let them go out of the house wearing them, but for god's sake don't try to parent everyone's kids!

The simple fact of the matter is that if children--especially in the high school age range--don't enjoy anything about school--even if it's just clothing, they are less likely to go.

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I THINK SCHOOL BOARDS SUCK!! WITH LOVE AND HUGS, GRANDMA BUTTON

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The brass section may have evolved; the Assistant Superintendent's has not. His comments provide a counter-example to evolutionary theory.

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From what I'm used to reading in here, the comments on this topic are extremely well thought-out and reasonable, rather than potty-mouthed kids twisting subjects into something controversial. Not to say this one hasn't got legitimate points to support both positions. Because we are a nation of majority Christians, its painful to see religious displays and anything church-related in schools removed for legal reasons, but it must be done. A fairer understanding of our laws shows that Christian symbols we all grew up with shouldn't have been there in the first place, so now they must go. Most people would agree that Islamic attempts to have a theocratic government can't work, and their citizens are slowly beginning to disrespect those old scholars in favor of secular leadership. A struggle by women to throw off generations of man-made oppression and self-serving interpretations of the Koran will take more time to change, but they WILL happen. For our United States, a secular government does not mean unfairness to Christianity, only that anyone's personal religion must be strong enough to stand on it's own without public trappings.Being a Christian, I'm firmly against abortion, but realize our laws must be completely fair to all citizens and a majority of people think women's choices for their body are strictly their own, as painfully wrong that might seem. Jesus Christ wanted to see how strong our personal faith could be, and here is our chance to show him. No one questions how Christian principles shape our nations morality--a more decent and fair set of rules cannot be found anywhere, but we have a secular government, and must live with it along with heathens and believers in other religions. I didn't start writing to preach a gospel, but it probably sounds that way after commenting on so many different things. As for the topic, I think out of fairness the cheerleaders sign must go. In simpler times no one would know or care what one school's proudly Christian cheerleaders print on signs, but there can be no exceptions to our national laws, so as rediculous as it seems, they have to go.

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That is simply ABUSRD.

I was educated in a all girl, private parochial school---taught by NUNS...and I promise you the good sisters would have been delighted had one of us chosen to wear a t-shirt that sported the First Amendment. They would not have had a problem with an evolution t-shirt either.

The PC crap that passes for "standards" today is mind numbing.

I am astounded that the people on these school boards can even show their faces after that sort of inane regulation has been passed.

Someone will always find a way to be offended by SOMETHING.

Perhaps if the parents objected about their child's dismal test scores, there would be cause for debate. But not the First Amendment...which I am assuming is also TAUGHT in these schools?

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I think that the schools should not regulate what you wear as long as it is not provocative. I think that schools are getting carried away with what they can and cannot do. How can you tell our children what is acceptable to wear. Evolution is a theory and our children should be able to express that if they want to. If they want to wear a shirt with a skull on it, what is the big deal? I just don't understand why everything is such a big deal. If it doesn't have cuss words on it and isn't provocative, why can't they just stay out of it?

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I was in high school in 1970 in Columbus, Ohio. Unfortunately for me, the school's philosophy was "Love it (USA) or Leave it", which didn't allow for any other views or opinions. The forbidden clothing was fringed mocassins and fringe on pants (anything resembling hippie garb). Of course I wore them to school and spent the entire day in detention. I feel that high schoolers should be allowed to wear whatever they want. The other students will tell them if they are too outrageous. Teenagers deserve to be respected, not treated like they are prisoners of the Gulag.

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