Forbidden to wear a kilt for Nostalgia Day

[The Supreme Canuck]

I'm going to have to disagree, there.

Hm. Perhaps a bit of a misunderstanding. I was responding to cajunscot's argument that using non-Scottish tartans as examples may do no good. He makes the point that these tartans are still Scottish in a way. I wanted to make the point that kilts, no matter who makes or wears them, also have that Scottish link. So to say that non-Scots can and do wear kilts as a way to convince the school board that a kilt is proper attire is the same as saying that non-Scots can and do wear non-Scottish tartans. In both cases there is a clear cultural link to Scotland (in that both the kilt and the tartan are Scottish by nature), but also in both cases there is a clear link to a specific non-Scottish culture. Showing a Canadian or an American wearing a kilt has the same effect as showing a Canadian or an American tartan. The kilt or tartan in question will be as unquestionably Canadian or American as it Scottish.

Anyway, I could have worded it better, and this post probably isn't much of an improvement. I'm running on too little sleep.

Please don't take offense at what I was saying, sir. I always offering was the opinion that one cannot totally detach the traditional kilt, or tartan, for that matter, from Scotland.

No offence taken at all. I agree entirely that one can never detach the kilt or the tartan from Scotland. I'm just saying that to argue a tartan is both Scottish and non-Scottish is the same as arguing that a kilt is both Scottish and non-Scottish. Scottish in that that's where both came from, and non-Scottish in that they have taken root in certain, wholly integrated, communities of another culture altogether.

Thus, one can maintain the cultural link to Scotland while arguing that both are also linked to these other cultures.

[Alan H]

Is the kilt culturally tied to Scotland? Well, sure it is. However, driving that notion in too thoroughly might well get the School Board thinking along these lines....

Nice presentation Mr. D'Argo...... ahhhh, where were you born?

D'Argo responds with a logical answer....Ohio.

I see, so you were born in Ohio and have presumeably lived here all your life. So that makes you a United States Citizen, doesn't it? So in fact, you're American, not Scottish.

Mister D'Argo you've just given us an excellent presentation on the SCOTTISH KILT, and I would say that if in fact you were Scottish, then it would be fine to wear a kilt to school. However, since you are not....you yourself say that you were born in Ohio, and since the kilt...tartan...all of it is irrevocably Scottish, I think we will be seeing you in a clean pair of pants on Monday morning.

Thank you for coming to the meeting Mister D'Argo,a nd for your well-thought-out PowerPoint presentation...

Next Agenda Item...

I would suggest that it will be imposible to SEPARATE "kilts" from "Scotland" int he Boards collective mind. After all, while they are the school board, they are not uneducated people....whatever we may think of D'Argo's Vice Principal. So to play up the "Scottish angle" TOO much could result in the unexepcted and unhappy conclusionthat D'Argo is not "Scottish enough" to wear a kilt.......and we all know that's baloney.

I'd also suggest that we not tell the young gentlemen from Ohio how to go about fighting this battle, but rather show them our support and help give them the tools they need to make an articulate, intelligent and well-informed presentation to the school administration.

[morrison]

Still D'Argo:
Oh, I fully intend to pursue this. The VP has revealed that he thinks that kilts are not even ok as formal wear. FORMAL wear.
And that's just not right.
As soon as i can gather information on when, where and how I can talk to the school board, I will!
As for my asking beforehan, I really don't know. It would have made more sense had we not asked, i guess... But then we would have been sent home or otherwise anyway. ........

"....The VP has revealed that he thinks that kilts are not even ok as formal wear. FORMAL wear."

OMG ? ! ? ! # % * @ & + @

In this case I think it's imperative to include the Principal in the group to be defined as puppets for the School Board of directors. Did not the Board have to approve of the hiring of the VP (a prejudiced individual). The Board hired the Principal. The Board of Directors are the Puppeteers in this matter. The Principal & VP are the puppets. This is no small objective and the participants are no persons to be ignored on either side, especially the students. However, my feeling about it all is the the School Board is one meeting away from a sound, if not profound, lesson in respect for people. Starting with the youth whom they are purporting to be governing.

......"On another note, just ordered another kilt! And i'll be wearing it to school events in the near future if everything works out."

BRAVO ! And be confident. I see that this will work out well, rather than if.

[Prester John]

Well, I leave town for three lousy days and look what happens in my absence!

Kizmet and Gourmet Girl (Mrs. Prester) have done a good job, as I can see it, so far, but this will call for a meeting with the principal and VP next week in person.

Obviously, the goal here would be to get them to allow formal kilt wear for proms, homecomings, etc. as far as I'm concerned.

I am more than a little distressed that wearing panties outside your pants, explicitly against the dress code (this is Nostalgia?) is allowed RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE VP, but kilts are against the dress code? Yes, you read this right.

Also, I've had a hard, exhausting, and crappy week.

It should be an interesting meeting.

[Mysticwolf]

Prester John,et al.
Is there a copy of the dress code somewhere on line that we could view? Or do you have a hard copy I could look at? I've tried looking at the Louisville School District website, but couldn't find anything.

[Alan H]

[QUOTE=Prester John]

I am more than a little distressed that wearing panties outside your pants, explicitly against the dress code (this is Nostalgia?) is allowed RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE VP, but kilts are against the dress code? Yes, you read this right.

[QUOTE]

WHAT?????? Oh for cryin' out loud.

[Prester John]

Prester John,et al.
Is there a copy of the dress code somewhere on line that we could view? Or do you have a hard copy I culd look at? I've tried looking at the Louisville School District website, but couldn't find anything.

None on line, but I think we have a copy around here (I know we do, I just don't know where it is. I'll have to wait for the wife to get home.).

I think it is less about the "dress code" than about trying to keep trouble at bay. Obviously violations like those I described are regular, but kilts? Not only not addressed, but don't violate the code, as I understand it, in any way.

[bubba]

Funny thing about published dress codes, there's always a disclaimer allowing it to be altered at will. It may not mention kilts but that disclaimer allows them to arbitrarily ban them, or anything else the administration decides it doesn't like.

[Frank McGrath]

Could yor son invite a couple members of the kilted rabble to go to homecoming? Maybe it will take a show of force. Maybe the local news would want to cover the story. Hmmmm. Sounds like a party!

[Andrew Green]

I think the point about the underoos being worn outside of clothing is a very good point to bring up. It is inapprapriate in any environment, and could well add some counter points to the argument being made against you.