Should a student be able to wear a shirt that says....

[mei lan]

So basically the law on point says that if your duds invoke gang violence, the school can ban them, but if they can't point to an actual threat caused by the wearing of a shirt/whatever, they can't ban it. sounds logical to me. I agree with C. Mark on this one...if a kid is 17, he's gonna be out in the real world in less than a year. Also, in this case, it was just for the one day. According to Shoe Diva, many schools are involved in this cause, so it's just not an issue for me.

 

[LisaC]

Whew, okay, now that I've got all of that over here, let me point out where the school is wrong. First, when the kid wore the t-shirt to school the first time, he was called to the office and told to take it off. Before he went to the office, there were no "disruptions," nor was the kid told that anyone had complained. He was simply told that it "might" cause a disruption. THEN, the school backs off of that story after the kid questions it and suddenly deems it sexual in nature after the kid continues to ask why he can't wear the shirt to school. This is where the principal's judgment suddenly comes into question in my mind. Did the shirt make the principal or someone else feel uncomfortable so he decided to make the kid take it off? If it did, perhaps the principal was just trying to keep it from becoming a bigger issue. If he did that, he should have stuck to that stance instead of making excuses and changing his story.

 

[Guard Dad]

Well, what this does is illustrate the need to get away from the public school system in favor of privatized education. Seems that because public schools are government funded, politics trumps good sense when it comes to making and/or enforcing rules.

 

[LisaC]

Well, what this does is illustrate the need to get away from the public school system in favor of privatized education. Seems that because public schools are government funded, politics trumps good sense when it comes to making and/or enforcing rules.

But how would you feel if this kid were fighting for the First Amendment right to wear a t-shirt that says, "Jesus Saves"?

 

[Guard Dad]

Well, what this does is illustrate the need to get away from the public school system in favor of privatized education. Seems that because public schools are government funded, politics trumps good sense when it comes to making and/or enforcing rules.

But how would you feel if this kid were fighting for the First Amendment right to wear a t-shirt that says, "Jesus Saves"?

I go back to my opinion that school dress codes should not allow any clothing with pictures or wording on it, other than brand names or logos. That way it would cover it in a consistent manner.

 

[LisaC]

Well, what this does is illustrate the need to get away from the public school system in favor of privatized education. Seems that because public schools are government funded, politics trumps good sense when it comes to making and/or enforcing rules.

But how would you feel if this kid were fighting for the First Amendment right to wear a t-shirt that says, "Jesus Saves"?

I go back to my opinion that school dress codes should not allow any clothing with pictures or wording on it, other than brand names or logos. That way it would cover it in a consistent manner.

hahahaha - As a parent, I would probably have been initially uncomfortable at the thought of another child wearing that shirt in school. BUT, when I stopped to think about it and look a little more closely at it, I applaud what this kid has done (and he has managed to do it and bring attention to bullying in schools). Back in my day, my high school would never have allowed it because they didn't allow anything that showed anything with any type of gender or race bias or sexual connotations. BUT, they did allow kids to wear shirts with beer and tobacco logos all over them (and you could keep your shotgun in the gunrack in the back window of your truck in the parking lot).

 

[wsstevenson]

Some brand names have been known to be worn exclusively by gangs. I'd be careful wearing my FILA or FUBU label on the wrong street corner if I was you.

 

[LisaC]

Some brand names have been known to be worn exclusively by gangs. I'd be careful wearing my FILA or FUBU label on the wrong street corner if I was you.

I work in midtown - it's not FILA or FUBU, but Rainbow Bright that will get you in trouble here!! :laugh

 

[wsstevenson]

Some brand names have been known to be worn exclusively by gangs. I'd be careful wearing my FILA or FUBU label on the wrong street corner if I was you.

I work in midtown - it's not FILA or FUBU, but Rainbow Bright that will get you in trouble here!! :laugh

Yeah, but that's those gay gangs. I was the victim of a gay drive by once. This car drove past me at a high rate of speed while throwing Skittles at me and this queen was screaming, "Taste the rainbow bitches."

I was traumatized. His shoes didn't match his hand bag.

 

[Guard Dad]

Some brand names have been known to be worn exclusively by gangs. I'd be careful wearing my FILA or FUBU label on the wrong street corner if I was you.

I agree with this as well. I also have an issue with Dixie Outfitters shirts. When my daughter was a middle schooler, the shirts became popular and she came out dressed in one on a Sunday evening before church. I asked her if she felt right walking into a Christian youth group with black kids, wearing a shirt that could be construed as being racist or divisive. She thought about it and then changed.

 

[Guard Dad]

Some brand names have been known to be worn exclusively by gangs. I'd be careful wearing my FILA or FUBU label on the wrong street corner if I was you.

I work in midtown - it's not FILA or FUBU, but Rainbow Bright that will get you in trouble here!! :laugh

Yeah, but that's those gay gangs. I was the victim of a gay drive by once. This car drove past me at a high rate of speed while throwing Skittles at me and this queen was screaming, "Taste the rainbow bitches."

I was traumatized. His shoes didn't match his hand bag.

LOL

You ain't right.

 

[LisaC]

Some brand names have been known to be worn exclusively by gangs. I'd be careful wearing my FILA or FUBU label on the wrong street corner if I was you.

I work in midtown - it's not FILA or FUBU, but Rainbow Bright that will get you in trouble here!! :laugh

Yeah, but that's those gay gangs. I was the victim of a gay drive by once. This car drove past me at a high rate of speed while throwing Skittles at me and this queen was screaming, "Taste the rainbow bitches."

I was traumatized. His shoes didn't match his hand bag.

:spitchick

 

[MamaHog]

Well, what this does is illustrate the need to get away from the public school system in favor of privatized education. Seems that because public schools are government funded, politics trumps good sense when it comes to making and/or enforcing rules.

But how would you feel if this kid were fighting for the First Amendment right to wear a t-shirt that says, "Jesus Saves"?

Thank you. I highly doubt this would have been an issue if it had been that or pro heterosexual. I wonder how come sexuality only becomes a factor when it has to do with homosexuals?! It's a bit ridiculous if you ask me. He wanted to wear the shirt to speak up against bullying. The sad thing is that it seems like the admin is the bully here, singling him out because he may be a little different than what they view as normal.

 

[MamaHog]

Some brand names have been known to be worn exclusively by gangs. I'd be careful wearing my FILA or FUBU label on the wrong street corner if I was you.

I work in midtown - it's not FILA or FUBU, but Rainbow Bright that will get you in trouble here!! :laugh

Yeah, but that's those gay gangs. I was the victim of a gay drive by once. This car drove past me at a high rate of speed while throwing Skittles at me and this queen was screaming, "Taste the rainbow bitches."

I was traumatized. His shoes didn't match his hand bag.

:spitchick

 

[BeatBoxinGranny47]

Some brand names have been known to be worn exclusively by gangs. I'd be careful wearing my FILA or FUBU label on the wrong street corner if I was you.

I work in midtown - it's not FILA or FUBU, but Rainbow Bright that will get you in trouble here!! :laugh

Yeah, but that's those gay gangs. I was the victim of a gay drive by once. This car drove past me at a high rate of speed while throwing Skittles at me and this queen was screaming, "Taste the rainbow bitches."

I was traumatized. His shoes didn't match his hand bag.

The gays have gotten crazy lately. Back in my day all they did was drive by slappings.

 

[BeatBoxinGranny47]

It is blatantly obvious to me that most of y'all havent been in High School for many many many years. If you think a shirt with a rainbow fish is the worst thing going on in schools then please, invite me into your little fantasy world. I can tell you many things that I have seen and done in HS and its all alot worse than a damn shirt. I've seen guns in school, I've seen knives in school along with just about every drug imagineable. I'm glad we live in a world so perfect that a stupid shirt causes controversy. Did anybody hear about the soldier KIA that was honored in Griffin recently? Nope, not a big enough story.

 

[wsstevenson]

It is blatantly obvious to me that most of y'all havent been in High School for many many many years. If you think a shirt with a rainbow fish is the worst thing going on in schools then please, invite me into your little fantasy world. I can tell you many things that I have seen and done in HS and its all alot worse than a damn shirt. I've seen guns in school, I've seen knives in school along with just about every drug imagineable. I'm glad we live in a world so perfect that a stupid shirt causes controversy. Did anybody hear about the soldier KIA that was honored in Griffin recently? Nope, not a big enough story.

You're my hero.

 

[Guard Dad]

It is blatantly obvious to me that most of y'all havent been in High School for many many many years. If you think a shirt with a rainbow fish is the worst thing going on in schools then please, invite me into your little fantasy world. I can tell you many things that I have seen and done in HS and its all alot worse than a damn shirt. I've seen guns in school, I've seen knives in school along with just about every drug imagineable. I'm glad we live in a world so perfect that a stupid shirt causes controversy. Did anybody hear about the soldier KIA that was honored in Griffin recently? Nope, not a big enough story.

Again...apples and oranges.

The other stuff going on in schools doesn't make these kinds of distractions alright or any less significant.

I could make the observation that many of you who think this was OK either don't have children or don't have children that age yet. We all have different perspectives, but what it boils down to is the standards we set in schools and the environments we allow. And whether it's distracting/predicative clothing or guns, it isn't the kind of educational environment we owe our children.

 

[ShoeDiva]

My strong libertarian streak says let him wear it. Esp. since he's a high schooler. I think a lot more hullabaloo results in people banning things like this than if they'd just allow it to continue.

:thumbsup




I think one thing that some might be missing is that he wants to wear it on a specific day for a specific event. This is not going to create more of a disturbance then the "event" already does. (Now I will say Lisa did say at his high school no one participates. Here, many, many do, including parents. I equate this event to the same as pajama day, 80's day, college day, etc. they are all out of the norm with different clothes and do create a different environment for that day.) In the situation of an event, which this is, why shouldn't clothes that fit it be worn? Just throwing that out there. (Obviously the courts agree. )

Again...apples and oranges.

The other stuff going on in schools doesn't make these kinds of distractions alright or any less significant.

I could make the observation that many of you who think this was OK either don't have children or don't have children that age yet. We all have different perspectives, but what it boils down to is the standards we set in schools and the environments we allow. And whether it's distracting/predicative clothing or guns, it isn't the kind of educational environment we owe our children.

I do have a high school child. )

I quoted myself above because I would like to know what you think about one day, one event. I agree we all have different perspectives, but one day events have been going on forever and even this particular event happens here. So with that said, not a daily wearing, an event wearing, what do you think?

 

[LisaC]

It is blatantly obvious to me that most of y'all havent been in High School for many many many years. If you think a shirt with a rainbow fish is the worst thing going on in schools then please, invite me into your little fantasy world. I can tell you many things that I have seen and done in HS and its all alot worse than a damn shirt. I've seen guns in school, I've seen knives in school along with just about every drug imagineable. I'm glad we live in a world so perfect that a stupid shirt causes controversy. Did anybody hear about the soldier KIA that was honored in Griffin recently? Nope, not a big enough story.

Again...apples and oranges.

The other stuff going on in schools doesn't make these kinds of distractions alright or any less significant.

I could make the observation that many of you who think this was OK either don't have children or don't have children that age yet. We all have different perspectives, but what it boils down to is the standards we set in schools and the environments we allow. And whether it's distracting/predicative clothing or guns, it isn't the kind of educational environment we owe our children.

BBG - It has been a few years since I've been in high school, but coming from rural Middle Georgia where racism was still alive and well in the 1980s, I've seen more than my share of behavior that would make you cringe (including the serious beating of four students - 2 white girls and 2 black guys - because they chose to all go to the prom together as friends). A openly gay student in our school wouldn't have had a chance....

GD: While we owe our kids a safe and secure educational environment that fosters learning, don't we also owe them the opportunity to exercise the fundamentals of the U.S. Constitution? Again, I really feel like if this kid had been trying to wear a shirt that says "Jesus Saves" or simply a t-shirt with a cross on it (or in Georgia, it could be a shirt with a Confederate flag on it), every evangelical Christian would be screaming that his First Amendment rights are being violated. In this case, the kid fought for his rights because the law says he was right (and it worked for him). And, by the way, Jesus is being glorified in the process - he wasn't a homophobe, if he were walking on this earth today, I feel pretty certain that he would be ministering to the GLBT community right along with the rest of us!! ;D