Florida teen turned away from dance because of kilt

[Monkey@Arms]

local6.com

Kilt-Wearing Teen Turned Away From School Prom


J.E.B. Middle School student 13-year-old Miles Johnson said he wears kilts as a way to show pride in his Scottish heritage and that he likes to wear them to any formal event.


POSTED: 12:49 am EDT May 16, 2007
UPDATED: 12:56 am EDT May 16, 2007

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A Jacksonville middle school student was turned away from prom after he said administrators told him he needed pants to get in and that no kilts were allowed at the school's dance, according to WJXT-TV.

J.E.B. Middle School student 13-year-old Miles Johnson said he wears kilts as a way to show pride in his Scottish heritage and that he likes to wear them to any formal event.

Johnson told WJXT-TV he has been wearing kilts for as along as he can remember.

"I wore it at the wedding. I wear it at Christmas and holidays. It's what I wear when I dress up, so I figured it would be a great reason to wear it," Johnson said.

He said he wore a kilt to last year's middle school prom and wanted to wear one again to this year's event.

"I thought I'd walk in just like last year. Someone would say, 'Look it's a kilt. Wow,'" said Johnson.

However, the reaction Johnson got at Saturday's prom was much different. The eighth-grader said he got turned away at the door after being told his kilt was not appropriate.

The school's principal, Dr. Jeanne Ballentine said incident was not about the kilt. She said Johnson was told ahead of time that he couldn't wear a kilt and he did anyway.

"We told him in advance it wouldn't be appropriate," Ballentine said.

"She said, 'I don't think it will be appropriate.' I told her I wore it last year, and she said, 'Oh. OK,'" Johnson said.

Johnson's mother and father brought him a change of clothes and school administrators eventually allowed him to join the dance festivities.

The teen said it shouldn't have come to that.

There is a Web site devoted to men who wear kilts called realmenwearkilts.net, which lists the different reasons why people wear them.

Johnson said he wears a kilt for one reason only -- it's his heritage.

"Every time I wear it, I feel pride for my heritage. I like it," Johnson said.

Here's the article.

Best regards,

Jake

[David Dalglish]

I can't understand the objection to kilt's, It seems to me that it is very narrow minded people that make decissions in this world.

[brandycr]

So true cant see where theyd be a problem either.Lol maybe I should email her and ask what her problem is with kilts.They are plenty enough info. in the article to know how to get in touch with her then google helps to lol.

[Riverkilt]

Ouch! Sounds like my local insanity. Control, control, control...

Ron

[slohairt]

That's sad...but not surprising. Growing up, I learned to dislike the term "inappropriate." It means so many different things to different people, that it is almost a pointless term. Another gem told to kids (and adults) is "it would be a distraction!"

P.S. On an even sadder note, I think Ballentine is a Scottish name!

[walkerk]

Wasn't there another "prom incident" last year? Here's a link to another article with a video: http://www.news4jax.com/news/13327348/detail.html

[Freedomlover]

That's sad...but not surprising. Growing up, I learned to dislike the term "inappropriate." It means so many different things to different people, that it is almost a pointless term. Another gem told to kids (and adults) is "it would be a distraction!"

P.S. On an even sadder note, I think Ballentine is a Scottish name!

It is indeed sad but not surprising. What is really laughable is the constant going on about "freedom of expression" in schools. Of course that only applies to
expressions that fit the established criteria of the people in charge.

[Jerry]

Sounds like yet another occasion for "The Kilted Rabble" to rise up and be counted. Wonder how much the principal would like receiving 1000 emails about kilts and diversity?

[Kiltferone]

I could not find a email address but here is the street address, phone and fax numbers in case abyone wants to contact them.

J.E.B. Stuart Middle
4815 Wesconnett Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32210

Office: (904) 573-1000 Fax: (904) 573-3213
School Hours: 9:15 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.

Principal: Jeanne Ballentine

This is a general email for the county school board office: info@dcps.com

[Kid Cossack]

I think they turned him away because his hose were too low, if they were like the ones in the piccie. (Just kidding.)

Now let's all praise diversity and freedom of speech . . . .