...to be kilted at prom...

[IsaacM]

This is a continuation of the "Trying to Convince" thread I made a while back. So for those interested, here is my battle plan: -Write a letter to the principal stating why the kilt should be allowed, description of the kilt and appropriate kilt outifts, etc. -Try to get a petition from any local scottish groups such as Indianapolis Scottish Society (btw, if anybody reading this is a member of the Indianapolis Scottish society, send me a PM),and the 42nd Highlanders (bagpipe band). -Form a student petition -Whatever else I think will help I am about finished with the letter, and will post it here for advice before I present it to him. What I want from you guys, is to post up any convincing reasons on why the kilt should be allowed to a school dance that I can add to my letter. And, since I am suggesting to the principal that we meet up and discuss it in person before he comes to a decision, feel free to throw any questions that a strict school principal would throw at a kid wanting to wear a kilt to prom. Another thing, would XMTS be able to put together a letter that could also go along with my letter? A letter from a community of Kilted people would make it much more convincing. Thanks alot.

[Strings]

What I want from you guys, is to post up any convincing reasons on why the kilt should be allowed to a school dance that I can add to my letter.

Hmmm... not knowing what you've already got. One thing I would certainly suggest is to point out the heritage aspect of wearing a kilt. That starts to put it on a PC footing, and most school admins will embrace anything to be PC...

Also have LOTS of pictures (this was advised before). I'm thinking especially a couple of the pics from the "2 kilts, 10 looks" thread. If you have pics of yourself in kit, that would be helpful as well.

Good luck!

[Jock Scot]

Well alright I rather suspect that you have most ,if not all, points covered from what I seem to remember from round one of this saga. I know I live in Scotland home of the kilt, but at "Lochaber High School", Fort William, Inverness-shire, where children of both sexes are taught to the age of 18 from the age of about 12, the kilt is worn by most young males, out of choice, to any formal school event. I also know for a fact that the Head Master and many teachers also wear the kilt to these events. I am sure the school has a website for you to peruse. As already mentioned, PICTURES and lots of them. Good luck laddie!

[KFCarter]

I hope that your principal is not a "because-I-said-so" type of person. It'll hard to get anywhere with someone like that. But if your principal is not like that, then he must have some kind of reasoning behind his "no." If you already know what that is, let us know (if you have already done that in the other thread, refresh us here). If you do not know his reasoning, then do some listening in your meeting as well.

My guess is that he looks at the kilt as some kind of frivolous, fashion-based choice that would be disrespectful in some way to the event. Your job is to convince him that while it may be unusual in your area, the kilt is not a frivolous or trivial garment.

Jock's suggestion is a good one. Pictures of the kilt in use at a contemporary school would be good. I think some pictures from the "Prince Charles Duke of Rothesay in kilt photos" thread in the "Show us your Pics" sub-forum could be helpful. Particularly ones of him at ceremonial occasions attended by kilted and non-kilted alike...something like the pics at this link: (http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/p...=duke+rothesay). The point is, the kilt is not a band costume, or a historical oddity. It's a highly respected men's garment, the national dress of Scotland that is worn regularly, today, in ceremonial, academic and business settings. It's a serious and legitimate choice with roots in national heritage and branches that extend to people around the world who have adopted its regular use.

Best of luck!

[Frank McGrath]

Post your principal's email address. We will get the word to him.

[auld argonian]

Generally it seems that most of the objections to wearing a kilt to school formals (or anything) are based on the concern that it will be a disruption or that...how shall I put this delicately?...that which is under the kilt might become apparent one way or another.

I assume that the latter is not a possibility for a serious kilt wearer...all necessary precautions will be taken. That leaves the former and you would best know how your classmates will react and, hopefully, they will understand and not make an issue out of the kilt...perhaps their support is one of the things that you should try to use as a selling point to your administration.

Should anyone contact your school in any way, I hope that they will try to be diplomatic and persuasive rather than confrontational. Nothing makes school administrators draw the wagons in a circle faster than even the faint whiff of a confrontation and getting one's email-box stuffed full of unsolicited messages can have a negative effect on a principal. Perhaps you might direct your principal to this forum so that he can see the threads on formal attire and see that kilt wearing is a serious thing and not some kind of hooligan behaviour. It would be obvious that you have the support of these many honorable forum members, all of whom, it will become apparent, are solid citizens and not at all a bunch of crazed Braveheart wannabe's.

I'm sure that you will communicate to your school administrators that this is a sincere desire to express your heritage at this important event and not just a "battle" that you have to win...you have to understand that it gets that way a lot for people in the position that your principal holds. Dealing with young people and their parents puts an administrator in a lot of tough situations where the point is often lost and it becomes a winning/losing thing and they are, as you might expect, reluctant to let things wander into that area. Reasonable people usually deal reasonably with other reasonable people who are reasonable...(pretty bad, eh?)...so maintain your composure through the whole thing.

Good luck here...I'd ask how old your principal is...I wonder what his prom picture looks like....if it's anything like those of others of my generation, we look at them and our powder blue tuxes and bell-bottom tux pants and foofy shirts and long hair and wonder what the hell we were thinking...I would hope that administrators would understand that this is an important event where young people try to express themselves and that a certain amount of lee-way should be given.

Best

AA

[Jock Scot]

If it helps a wee tad, a random picture of some of the lassies and lads of Lochaber High School, Fort William.I am not responsible for the picture.

[RockyR]

INITIAL POST EDITED: Rethought the comment and changed my mind.

NEW comment:

I'd approach the principle with well thought out reasons including the love of Celtic Culture and your heritage.

Also, his mind may be racing with thoughts of 'kilt liftings' and general debauchery. If you explain that this isn't a 'costume' to you and that you will wear it properly and with respect, he may be a little more apt to allow it. Present yourself as MATURE when discussing it.

[QMcK]

I would advise against approaching the media if you aren't allowed to. The school may well make your life very difficult after this. On leaving school, we got written references.

Be polite and try to persuade the principal to allow you to wear a kilt. If he still won't allow you to, just wear a smart suit. Maybe not a tuxedo, since sooo many people seem to wear those.

I do agree that you should be allowed to wear a kilt.

[kunie]

Maybe it's because I'm new here. But why does the principal not allow you to wear your Kilt? For prom... Here we do not really have prom, so what is the normal dresscode for a prom, and how strict are the rules? I just wore my kilt to a student diner/ball it was no problem. Only had lots and lots of compliments.
Do you have the letter ready?