Another highschooler barred from prom.

[Planopiper]

I threw that in there to save typing a long explanation of why there needs to be a dress code at a prom. You always get jokers. If they weren't worried about the possibility of someone doing something like this then why do they have seperate rules for boys and girls? I was thinking more of cases I've read of girls wearing tuxes than boys in gowns, but you never know.

Also, there are 3 solid pages of people being indignant about some kid being barred from an event because he wanted to do something that was clearly not allowed, but I didn't see one other entry supporting the school for enforcing its rules.

[highlander_Daz]

I think there is a point here, The school is probably within its rights to impose a dress code as a condition of entry, no doubt about that, they are within their rights to do so, however its the "conditions" that are unfair. what the young man should have done is lobby the school first, they were withing ther rights to turn him away-its thier school!! however the conditions they set-if the code was dress pants the all the girls in dresses and gowns should have been turned away too maybe?

Last Hogmanay we went to a very nice celebration wher the dress code was "all men must wear black tie" and a women turned up in jeans and was allowed in, I thought this was not acceptable for a lady to celebrate new year in jeans when everyone else was wearing black tie/prince charlies and ball gowns.
I think this "dressing down" generally is very poor indeed, I think business and meeting clients should be suits shirts not jeans .
oops Im off topic.
anyway i think the school is reaping the whirlwind right now!!

[KiltedBishop]

How did the kid get a copy of the dress code if he didn't attend that school? Does the school send out it's policies to all the other schools too? LOL

I see the points you are making about the school can enforce any rules it wants, but it's a PUBLIC school which means it is held to certain standards. An a certain amount of openness. if this had been a private school I would tell the kid, tough luck. but it wasn't and I think that makes a world of difference.

[Avonlea22]

Also, there are 3 solid pages of people being indignant about some kid being barred from an event because he wanted to do something that was clearly not allowed, but I didn't see one other entry supporting the school for enforcing its rules.

Except for me:

I can understand the schools point of view in trying to enforce a particular dress code

I agree. He broke the rules. I think what most people are upset about here is the rule itself, and the way it was handled on the fly. I still say that the rule was just plain short sighted.

[Planopiper]

How did the kid get a copy of the dress code if he didn't attend that school? Does the school send out it's policies to all the other schools too? LOL.

Yeah, that's pretty funny. One member of the couple attended the school, right? The female had a copy of the dress code if the male didn't. Does she have no active role in this? I like to think that just because she's female she isn't exempt from taking some role in insuring her own prom night is a success. Why didn't she see about clearing the kilt before hand? Was it a surprise? Did kilted boy show up without checking that he met the minimum dress requirements? I guess he learned a lesson. Hopefully he still has a chance to check the dress policy before his own prom.

What if a boy with some Arabian heritage shows up in a caftan? Was the school supposed to have thought of that ahead of time and have a policy in place? How about a Samoan in a sarong? What if an Italian shows up in toga with a nice purple strip. That may be his heritage. It's certainly formal.

... it's a PUBLIC school which means it is held to certain standards. ...I think that makes a world of difference.

Yes, it's a public school run by underpaid public servents trying do their best, not by international or human rights lawyers experienced in thinking of all the exceptions. They just wanted to make a simple policy to insure that everyone at the prom dressed nice and had a good time. The school set a standard and it held to it. Whether kilts should be allowed at the prom is certainly debateable, but some time before the prom, not at the door.

[awoodfellow]

i think all of us see both sides of the issue. we all agree the young man was dressed for a formal occassion. we all agree there was a dress code in affect that did not allow for formal Scottish attire.

we've had a good and lively debate regarding our Minnesota friends. i think its time to figure out what we can do to un-suffocate the minds of these 'under-paid public servants' and others ensuring this does not happen again.

can we being a campaign of sorts? and sure, i'm biased toward the Scottish Highland wear and it's a great place to start, yet we cannot push aside other customs and traditions.

'brose

[bubba]

Policy = to lazy or unable to think or reason.

[Jewddha]

... i think its time to figure out what we can do to un-suffocate the minds of these 'under-paid public servants' and others ensuring this does not happen again...

'brose

Well, I for one intend to wear the kilt to school, best way to get started, in my mind.

[Aislinn]

So, i've read through all of your comments (and my resolve, which, sadly, was weaking a wee bit, has been uplifted) I am Jena, Eric's escort for the lovely evening that we HAD planned. That is, until my school pulled that asenine trick that not only barred us from the prom, but ruined my evening as well. I am so very proud of Eric. He stood up for himself with honor, and held himself back with much dignity. So the question is...now what should we do? It may not be me who wore the kilt, but it was my prom and now half of my town hates me. (this is the same town that continues to stress its open-mindedness, and the school that tells everyone to stand up for what is right, and let your voice be heard. Of course, when that happens, we get told to sit down and shut up. REAL NICE.)

[Manu]

The dress code is definetely ignorant. To think that the only formal attire is pants is just closed-minded. But thats the society we live in. Although, he should have asked out of curiosity about the kilt. Anyway, Im with him all the way.