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eftychia: Me in kilt and poofy shirt, facing away, playing acoustic guitar behind head (Default)
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QotD

posted by [personal profile] eftychia at 05:26am on 2009-03-20

"When schools censor students like this, they are failing one of the most important civics lessons there is." -- Dan Pochoda, Legal Director of the ACLU of Arizona, quoted in "Gay student banned from wearing rainbow", 2009-03-18

[A merry (and/or lusty, as appropriate) vernal equinox, to all who count the day a holiday! For folks who like to track such things, the astronomical start-of-spring is about two-and-a-third hours after this should've been automagically posted.]

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There are 4 comments on this entry. (Reply.)
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] melancharisbron.insanejournal.com at 04:52am on 2009-03-20
To balance this out, I note in this morning's Belgian newspaper De Morgen (link here (http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/1344/Onderwijs/article/detail/781024/2009/03/19/Kritiek-op-beslissing-van-Xaveriuscollege-om-gothic-te-verbieden.dhtml), but it's in Dutch...) that a junior college got ticked on the fingers for an overly vague description of what was and wasn't allowed to be worn by students on campus, in connection with the popularity of the gothic style. It was only the "children's rights commission" but they were pretty straight with the basic principle: one of personal and individual expression.

Hope things get better, though sometimes I have to understand that it's always going to be a long haul.
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(no subject)

posted by (anonymous) at 10:24am on 2009-03-20
Is the ACLU going to go after publicly-funded schools that require uniforms next? (There are some; they're usually charter schools funded by municipal block grants, or magnet schools.) I'm afraid I really don't see much of a difference between a school enforcing one kind of dress code or another, as long as it applies equally to all students. No rainbows means no rainbows, gay, straight, or polka-dotted.

I don't particularly agree with curtailing students' expression in school, but on the other hand, I don't exactly see that there's a bright line between saying "No, you can't wear a rainbow" and "No, you can't come to school in a see-through top and Daisy Duke shorts," or "No, you can't come to school barefoot and wearing only a sarong," and schools do the latter all the time.
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(no subject)

posted by (anonymous) at 11:57pm on 2009-03-20
I don't believe the school had a rule against wearing rainbows before someone came in with a rainbow wristband with a positive gay message. The principle stated it was because some teachers were offended. That's selective enforcement, and clearly censorship-driven.

-- Selki on LJ
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From flaviarassen

posted by (anonymous) at 08:12am on 2009-03-21
I do have to disagree totally on any uniform question for several reasons:

Uniform - "one form" - means that all students have to comply equally.
Also, buying 2 sets of uniforms (wear one, wash one) means a huge
diminution of expenses - a bonus for poor parents. It also cuts down
on peer pressure, bullying, and teaches children that school is for
learning. The whole "self-expression" thing is fabulous - and can be
done outside of school where it doesn't (as it sometimes does)
interfere with schoolwork..
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