More Controversial School Dress Codes

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

15 Sep 2009 09:22 PM

In a previous blog I addressed Richmond, Indiana's new school dress code. Public school students in the district can no longer wear clothing that features words, stripes, plaids, floral prints, or illustrations to class. In addition, students are not allowed to wear collars cut any lower than a standard crew neck T-shirt.

Richmond's new dress code has led to the suspension of more than 200 students during the first two weeks of school. However, Richmond schools are not the only institutions of learning where students and their parents are up in arms about what can be worn on school property.

In Sedalia, Missouri, you can blame the members of the Smith-Cotton High School band for a new ban on evolution t-shirts. Band members marched in the Missouri State Fair parade last month donning shirts declaring "Brass Evolution." The shirts show the stages of evolution, with each figure holding a brass instrument.

Some parents complained about the "creative" shirts and a short time later the school district banned the controversial cotton tees. The district's assistant superintendent reasoned that schools must "remain neutral on religion."

Never mind that evolution is science and not religion; teachers at Smith-Cotton High School told news reporters they "don't think evolution should be associated with our school."

As for the kids who sported the eclectic tees, they say they weren't out to offend God. "It's not like we're saying God is bad," the band member told news reporters. "We aren't promoting evolution."

Still, what's done is done. The evolution shirts can no longer be worn by band members on campus or at any other school function.

It's a scenario Paul Palmer is all too familiar with.

The Dallas-area high school student knows all about dress codes and what happens when you violate them.

Palmer, a student at Waxahachie High School near Dallas, Texas, got in trouble for violating his school's dress code -- twice -- by wearing printed T-shirts.

The teen sued the school district after he was suspended for wearing the banned apparel. However, his case was dismissed when school officials adopted a new dress code. Palmer then submitted three shirts (two supporting John Edwards for president and one quoting the First Amendment) for approval under the new code, but all of them were rejected.

Palmer then continued his lawsuit and lost.

According to a panel of three Fifth Circuit judges, if the dress code forbids printed shirts and it's enforced equally, the school district is within its rights to ban Palmer's tees, regardless of if one is promoting the First Amendment.

Palmer's father called the court's decision "absolutely stupid."

What do you think of the dress codes?

Related Articles:

A New Twist on School Dress Codes

Parents As Fashion Police

How Far Would You Go To Pay For Your Kid's Education?

Battling for Basic Education

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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