Another highschooler barred from prom.

[chacbalam]

Well I certainly was not expecting this thread to continue as long as it has when I started it.

Jena thank you for spending the time to read all the posts that have accumulated over the few days. I have just spent a fair amount of time reading through all of them myself.

I started this thread because the first time I was introduced to wearing highland dress was at my wedding. I wore the full Prince Charlie get up as did your date. I did this to honor my family and my heritage, and I felt great pride in wearing my first kilt. I know that these are feelings that the two of you can relate to. Unfortunately your night did not end the way that you would have wanted it to, and for that I am truely sorry. However, that does not mean that you should be made to feel ashamed of your gentleman's decision to attend your prom kilted. Instead the two of you should see this as an oppertunity to explore his Scottish heritage, and this is a great place to start.

[Kiltedmusiclover]

I split off all the welcomes to Jena to the newbie
section.

[Aislinn]

Okay everyone. So. As this is really important, to both me and Eric, here’s a couple of things that need to be said. For starters, the prom was through my school and yes, we did get a copy of the dress code way back in January. Well, I met Eric at a Speech meet where he was in fact wearing a kilt and wow...he looked hot. (i have been obsessed with Scotland for over 5 years, so I was very happy to meet Eric.) So I asked him to prom where he was going to wear his kilt. My friend Erin and I were talking about it in a class, and one of our prom advisors overheard us and said that a kilt was not “appropriate prom attire.” Rather than fight it, I told Eric that we needed to find him a tux. Well, I don’t know what happened, but through a series of miscommunications, he missed the memo. Two days before prom, I find out that he still intended to wear his kilt. I was torn. I loved the fact that he wanted to wear his kilt, but I mean...the school said no, and I fight authority too much, so I just knew that they would figure that i just wanted to rebel against conformity...again. Well...neither of us had money and the time to rent a tux had passed, so I figured that if I just went to my principal and explained the situation then they would see the light and let it happen right? I’ve always hated being wrong, but this time it was even worse. He flat out said no, not just once, but three times, almost before i was finished explaining. Absolutely NO kilts. I was upset. Erin and I wrote up a very polite petition (seriously, this was very well written, even the principal said so) and within 2 hours, we had 81 signatures from the Junior and Seniors of the Osakis High School, all of them agreeing that it didn’t matter what was worn as long as it was formal. I also looked up kilts in a book that i included with the petition, just so the principal was aware of what it looked like. HE still said no because it was our prom. I don’t really understand the logic behind that. If it’s “our prom” that the students raised the money for, and nobody cared if Eric wore a kilt, then why did they continuously naysay us?
Well, Mr. Roggenbuck decided that it would be alright if Eric wore a pair of khakis and a nice dress shirt, just because he still wanted us to be able to participate in the festivities. Eric’s mum was outraged, and I found out just how outraged she was when Erin and I arrived at his house to pick him up, fully expecting to see a pants clad Eric waiting for us. No no, Eric was in his kilt (looking gorgeous i might add) and his mother was talking on live WCCO radio, stirring up the media (i love his mum by the way). THe rest of the night was a blur, getting turned away from the prom, being on tv (did anyone else think I looked like a bug because of my wings? I read a story where some guy said i looked like a bug. I’m insulted.) And Chacbalam, I am, by no means, upset with Eric for doing that. I taken by surprise ‘tis all, but so very very proud of him for standing up for his heritage and not allowing my school to tell him what is inappropriate.

[macwilkin]

Thanks, Jena, for your clarification on the incident.

What reasons did the prom advisor & your principal give for considering a kilt "not appropriate" attire for the prom?

Regards,

Todd

[KiltedBishop]

I agree. It's not like it would have been hard for them to do some research into kilts and formal wear. I mean it is a school right? wouldn't you think they would be able to do some research on something as well written about as the kilt and come to the conclusion it was indeed formal dress, and worn regularly for formal occassions. I am sorry your prom went badly, to be honest I didn't enjoy mine much either, but for very different reason. in time it won't matter as much as the lesson learned from it. I find it strange that with kilts becoming more popular the principal of the high school never SAW a kilt before???? does he live in a cave? Sean Connery, David Docovney(sp), Keifer Sutherland, THE PRINCE OF ENGLAND, to name a few who often are seen and show kilted.
How about the movie braveheart? ever take a history class in something besides American History? I just am totally taken aback by that.

[macgreggor]

the members of this forum are a diverse lot, geographically and socially. there is so much of a political nature that we cannot seem to affect but, school boards are about as local as one can get. if half of the members here contacted their local school boards to 'clarify' dress codes BEFORE the prom nears, perhaps we could avoid another incident like this one. it also occurs to me that if we stay in touch on this and make some progress, someone on this forum knows someone in the media. there is nothing like media coverage to make politicians squirm...um, rethink their position. it also occurs to me that we can't make proposals that are JUST about kilts! the rules must apply to everyone. my little rant is now over, normal conversation may resume!
macG

[Thistle Stop]

Jena, it sounds to me like you did everything right, under the circumstances. I think the principal was wrong not to accept the petition, since the students are the ones the prom is held for and they had no objections to Eric wearing the kilt. The principal was probably afraid that if he permitted a change to the standards as previously announced, it would open up a can of worms, but I think he needn't have worried about that.

In the UK, of course, a kilt with the proper formal accessories is considered equivalent to a tuxedo, yet even there controversies about wearing the kilt at some academic ceremonies occasionally arise. We need to educate everyone on this side of the pond about the kilt as a tux alternative (and as an acceptable man's garment, in general, for any occasion!). I was encouraged recently when a local formalwear shop asked us to leave some of our business cards at their store -- we rent kilt outfits as part of our Scotish heritage goods retail business -- because they have customers coming in from time to time looking for a source of rental kilts for weddings and proms. I have a kilt outfit out on a rental for a prom right now, in fact. The event was last Friday -- I hope my customer was allowed to attend his own prom!

It sounds like you and Eric are a great couple of people and I hope you will enjoy many good times together -- kilted or otherwise! And hooray for Eric's mother for caring enough about her son and their heritage to take an active interest in the issue.

At least this will be a prom night you will 'never forget'!

Welcome to the forum -- bring Eric and his mother along!

And no, you do not look like a bug in your faerie wings... a bat, maybe... just kidding! In the picture I have seen, you look very lovely and elegant, and you're right -- Eric is a hottie in his kilt! He looked perfectly turned out for any black-tie occasion, in his Mitchell tartan, and very handsome.

All best wishes to you both.

[Scotus]

Having just watched the video report, I must say that Eric is very well spoken (so are you Jena). I have to disagree slightly with awoodfellow in that I think we can focus only on the kilt. While there are other cultures that have national dress, this is a kilt forum, and that's what we are all about here.

I'm still a little amazed by all this. Obviously, the school is wrong on this issue.

Bravo for Eric!

[Doc Hudson]

Actually the ACLU protects the Bill of Rights, which for non-americans are the first ten amendments of the constituion.

Actually... the ACLU protects all of them except the 2nd Amendment. If the ACLU supported the 2nd Amendment, they'd want everyone to carry a weapon, 24/7/365...

(Sorry... I know it's off topic... couldn't resist... )

If they stuck up for ALL the Bill of Rights, you'd find an ACLU membership card in my wallet next to the NRA Life Member card

[awoodfellow]

just a small note ....

as many here i'm sure have done, the other day i sent a short note to the TwinCities Press. my note was to publically thank Barbara Humphrey for her interest and participation in the Kilt matter. it wasn't to knock the school or anything in that fashion.

today i received a call from a lady at the TwinsCites Press verifying that in fact it was i that wrote the note ( ) . They apparently have received enough letters, messages and phone calls to write an additional piece. she didn't exactly say when or if it will be published, however, the entire Osakis Kilt story has stirred up quite a bit of emotion and they want to report on it.

as well i sent Barbara Humphrey a thank you note via the tartandaymn.org web site. she replied in a wonderful manner.

ambrose