Florida teen turned away from dance because of kilt

[macwilkin]

The Scotish papers reported this incident today saying Miles chose to wear the Black Watch Tartan when he read about some of the regiment's soldiers being killed fighting alongside Americans in Iraq.. Miles says he knows about the proud tradition of the Black Watch, he will tell anyone who will listen that he is part of the Gunn clan but he wears the Black Watch tartan with pride.
Regimental secretary Lt. Col. Roddy Mitchell said Americans should be proud to be associated with the regiment, he added 'One's heritage is an important part of one's life and that we are sory this young man has not been allowed to wear the kilt'

Ashameful incident from the school head

Not to mention that the Black Watch refused to take any Battle Honours from the American Revolution, since it was a war "between kith & kin".

T.

[Bob C]

This incident caught me on the wrong day. I was not as diplomatic as some of you. Upon reflection, that's probably the case most of the time. Here's my email to Ms. Ballentine, the district, the superintendent and the newspaper reporter.

Dear Ms. Ballentine,

I have been made aware of your recent treatment of Miles Johnson, a middle school student who was turned away from his prom because you decided that his Scottish kilt was inappropriate.

I am dismayed at this overt demonstration of racism. Do you casually disregard the cultural heritage of students of African, Hispanic, Arab or other cultures, too?

Mr. Johnson seeks to honor both his family heritage and the Scottish soldiers who fight alongside our own forces in Iraq by wearing the Black Watch tartan. Your response is to reject his tribute, and his impeccable dress, because of your own ignorance.

Your ignorance should not be Mr. Johnson's problem. Your misuse of authority should be curbed by your superiors. Your behavior is outrageous. I call on you to issue a public apology to Mr. Johnson and his family and to amend your racist ways so that students in the future will not be subjected to such treatment.

[Mr. MacDougall]

I also find it interesting that this occured at J. E. B. Stuart High School.

[Pour1Malt]

weel...

the email address obviously works!

here is the reply she sent me...

Mr. Wellen,

We thank you for sharing your thoughts and appreciate your interest in
our school. While we recognize that all may not agree with our decisions
and site-based management practices, we do hope that you recognize that
we hold our students in the highest regard. We are committed to
providing all students with a high-quality education in a conducive and
effective learning environment. We operate and strongly enforce a strict
no discrimination policy that celebrates the diversity of our students
as our greatest strength.

Dr. Jeanne Ballentine, Principal
JEB Stuart Middle School
4815 Wesconnett Boulevard
Jacksonville, Florida 32210
Phone: 904-573-1000
Fax: 904-573-3213

[Kid Cossack]

weel...

the email address obviously works!

here is the reply she sent me...

I didn't see the e-mail you sent, but that was about a non-responsive pile of . . . umm, stuff.

[Pour1Malt]

I didn't see the e-mail you sent, but that was about a non-responsive pile of . . . umm, stuff.

aye!

she deserves to get thoosans o' emails fur that reply!

the email ai sent wuz the same as ai posted oan page two o' this threid...

but ai altered it tae make it personally to her instead of to someone else...

[auld argonian]

I assume that "site based management practices" is just BS for "I'm here, you aren't: mind your own business". Nice...very nice.

reminds me of the all purpose letter that Alexander Wolcott sent to anyone who wrote to disagree with him:

Dear Sir,

you may be right.

Sincerely,

A, Wolcott

Honestly, not unlike some governments, most institutions have gotten hip to how to deal with public outcries about unpopular policy decisions and stall and obfuscate until they blow over. I swear that schools especially have developed a handbook of procedures to defuse bad public relations. The only thing to do is keep bad decisions like this in the public eye in a reasonable way and to work your way up the "chain of command" until somebody at the top decides that they want to make it all go away.

I really don't buy the "...if we let one person do something it puts us on a slippery slope..." argument that institutions try to pawn off on you. It is a crock.

I'm also getting tired of hearing that proclaiming one's ties to Scottish culture or heritage by wearing a kilt is some kind of over-the-top statement. What's the problem here? Someone should demand a very specific reason for these refusals other than some nebulous excuse that it's "against policy" or "it's a disruption". If these administrators have a SPECIFIC reason for disallowing this (and it better be a good one) then they should state it instead of hiding behind double-speak. I expect that they figger that they can just keep making excuses, the event will come and go and the poor student will have to decide whether he wants to go kilt or no and once it's over, it's over and they won the point just by "killing the clock", so to speak.

Try to teach kids to be honest and forthright and then you have to put up with this kind of nonsense on the part of school adminstrators...

Best

AA

[Mr. MacDougall]

I've also sent an email to her. I doubt it will do any good; I suspect she'll delete most of these unread. But, hey, y'gotta speak up, or there'll be strange, tartan fruit in Southern trees.

[irishrob]

Here is what I sent and copied to the local reporter. You know over 35 years ago when I returned to college from my first government job, I was somewhat of an aggravator especially with some of my instructors, but I learned to play the game. I thought I out grew that...maybe yes...maybe no

"Ms. Dr. Ballentine:


This email is to notify you that the response to Mr. Wellen, quoted below has found its way to 6 of the seven continents. Personally, being a former educator, I find it amusing that the principal would use the “editorial ‘we’” when addressing a concern. Since you went out of your way to dismiss Mr. Wellen’s concerns I can only assume that your diversity program does not apply to English speaking, Caucasian students who wish to display an affinity for their forbears or, as noted in the Scotish papers, an acknowledgement of the Black Watch regiment soldiers who are fighting along side Americans in Iraq.


Your actions are a sad commentary on the state of our American educational institutions."

[Jaggy thistle]

He should not have been turned away but from the photo he was not doing the kilt justice !
Tam