My sons 5th grade class thinks I look "tight"

[Nighthawk]

My son's back to school night was the other night. I went in my Clergy SportKilt, by mistake. I woke up that morning planning on wearing my USAK Clergy, but being half asleep, put on the SK, went to work, and went to Back To School. (I point out the SK vs USAK thing because as anyone who knows me knows, I don't really like my SK- I feel a little self conscious around people I don't know when I wear it because it feels too much like a skirt. I was afraid of what the kids would think, and make my son miserable, but there was no time to go home and change.) So the next day, the kids did in fact make fun of me until the teachers took a few minutes to explain the kilt and what it is and what it means, and my son told me tonight that as soon as the kids found out what a kilt is, they all thought it awesome and has become something of a hit. So now among the fifth graders of Crawford Elementary, Ravan's dad looks "tight." And something I would like to point our here is that this school is an English as a second language school, so the majority of the kids there are Spanish speakers. I've read some horror stories about kilted people in Mexico here on this board, and was a little nervous because of those as well.

[thistlelass]

Congratulations on being deemed "tight"! I think kids are so open to accepting others once they get to know who you are and what you're about-unlike a lot of adults of any nationality. You just had to be yourself and wear your kilt-it didn't matter to them which one you had on-it was enough to spark their interest and that is what is important in getting kids to learn! I work at an elementary school as the registrar/clerk and we are also ESOL. When we held our International night last May, I went dressed in my 18th century Scottish dress and took my spinning wheel with me. My most ardent crowd were the Spanish speaking children who were intrigued by my Tartan shawl and the information I had displayed about Scotland and the kilt....not to mention the fresh from the oven shortbread I had baked! They were also very curious about the spinning and were amazed as I carded raw wool then spun it into yarn. This term I've already had a couple of them ask me if I wil be spinning again for International night.

[Bugbear]

Well Nighthawk, hopefully by the end of his sixth grade class, you will have played the pipes for his class. Good luck old friend.

[Carolina Kiltman]

Yep, 5th grade is still in that wonderful period of life when the strange is immediately rejected, then when it is explained, the wonder of something new takes over! I never tire of watching this wonderful thing happen (although I have only three of the grandchildren left in this category. . . . maybe in the not too distant future, great grandchildren?)

[McFarkus]

I live and work in communities with a diverse number of immigrants. One of the thinks I've found is they are very accepting, especially when they realize I'm honoring my culture and heritage by wearing a kilt. They understand honoring one's culture.

For the Latinos, if they look crosswise at me, I just say, "kilt Escocés," and they nod and smile, "Ahhh, si, kilt Escocés."

I work in an agency with a lot of immigrants and refugees from China and Southeast Asia. The first time I wore my kilt to work , one older gentleman grinned and said, "A kilt! Just like in Hong Kong!"

[Nighthawk]

Congratulations on being deemed "tight"! I think kids are so open to accepting others once they get to know who you are and what you're about-unlike a lot of adults of any nationality. You just had to be yourself and wear your kilt-it didn't matter to them which one you had on-it was enough to spark their interest and that is what is important in getting kids to learn! I work at an elementary school as the registrar/clerk and we are also ESOL. When we held our International night last May, I went dressed in my 18th century Scottish dress and took my spinning wheel with me. My most ardent crowd were the Spanish speaking children who were intrigued by my Tartan shawl and the information I had displayed about Scotland and the kilt....not to mention the fresh from the oven shortbread I had baked! They were also very curious about the spinning and were amazed as I carded raw wool then spun it into yarn. This term I've already had a couple of them ask me if I wil be spinning again for International night.

Let me explain myself a little- I get the idea that Denver has a slightly different cultural climate than other places. Here, I get no end of problems from Spanish speaking kids (and I mean teenagers.) I explain to them that it's an important and meaningful part of my culture, only to be informed that my entire culture are skirt wearing fags. That's why I was a little surprised. I must add, pleasantly surprised. And yes, those people are in every culture, I agree completely. It just seems a little... maybe louder... from some than from others. My son's class has given me back a bit of faith in humanity. It just made me very happy to find out that his new classmates are that open minded. I couldn't go kilted to his old school because he caught weeks of misery for the one time that I did.

And Ted, I certainly intend to. my mother is the music teacher at the school in question, which is why I sent my son there- so Grandma could crack the whip a little.

[Bugbear]

Good deal, Nighthawk, my mother was a piano teacher too.
I grew up in that same culture not too far from Colorado, Nighthawk, and I understand now what you're trying to say. *Sigh* I guess it's the extreme macho "I'm da man!" thing going on. That macho stuff has ruined a lot of lives... I think it is a regional/cultural thing, though; it crops up in different groups in different places I guess.

[GMan]

Tight, that is a great compliment.

[Phil]

I gather from the responses that "tight" carries a completely different connotation in America and is regarded there as a compliment. I am glad that your kilt had such a positive reaction.

[werewolves]

I gather from the responses that "tight" carries a completely different connotation in America and is regarded there as a compliment.

Urban Dictionary

2. tight

cool or hip

That outfit is tight!