This page ©1999 Chip Brown.

Kids, Teachers, and Administrators OH MY!

It was not my intention then, nor is it now, for myself to become the spokesperson for anything. I generally rant and rave on topics ranging from the silly to the serious. But something keeps getting on my mind and I can't get it off. The dress code.

You see I started off thinking the dress code was sort of a "look what we're doing" ploy to alieve the fears of parents towards school safety. In one of my first topics, I wrote that I thought dress codes were okay, but that I thought this one was poorly written. I then challenged the officials to allow the kids to write one of their own. I didn't ask them to adopt it, just to read it.

I am beginning to think that this dress code may be somewhat dangerous. Hear me out before you judge. My point is somewhat easily made. Read the school message boards and see what kids have to say.

It seems the very instrument officials wielded to protect kids seems to divide them. Officials said it would level the playing field. It would stop kids making fun of each other's clothes.

A dress code is just as good as those who administer it. Many, many kids have written me describing circumstances of how some kids get to wear things while others are not. Sour grapes you say? A lie? Then teachers write me to say, yes it is indeed true that some kids they send to the office are punished while others are not. Teachers are mad at administrators you say? Then a ball player tells me the same story. They tell me that they can wear whatever they want. Then they show me a backpack that they take to school. While I have never witnessed this myself, if they do indeed wear the clothes and carry this backpack they are in certain violation of the code.

What this code and the selective implementation is doing is further alienating the very kids it was supposed to help. A kid will ask itself, why does she get to wear that and I don't? Why can he carry that and I can't? Read the writing left behind by most kids that commit violence and you will see these questions.

No, I'm not saying that anyone will commit violence this year. Actually, the kids that write me seem very articulate and well centered. But they all feel the same. They feel they are not being heard. Actually, it's getting hard for me to tell letters from students, from letters from teachers. It seems they're both saying the same things.

I call on administrators to hear these kids. Take a couple of hours to hear these kids at a called assembly at each school. Allow the kids to ask questions, allow them a voice. We may find that they have as good an idea as we do. Too busy? Ask any administrator at any school where violence has been committed and they'll tell you. We should have listened.

Kids, stand up for yourself. Don't give up. Do things orderly and within the law. People will respect you for it. Write letters to the school board. Write letters to the Central Office. Write letters to your County Court member. Write letters to the governor. Put those ideas you learned in Civics class to work.

Just because some kids may be allowed to wear this or carry that doesn't mean they're better than you. It just means you need to be heard. But being heard is not enough, you must be understood and respected.

Being understood means simply having your facts together and stating them in a logical manner. Do not point fingers, do not accuse. Simply state the facts and offer suggestions. Do not assume that your suggestions are totally right, be ready to listen and modify as you go.

To be respected simply means to conduct yourself in a manner better than that expected of you. If they think you're just kids and you act as such, then you are just kids. But if they think you're just kids and you are prepared, organized and articulate, you will then take them by surprise. They will then be forced by the opinion of their peers and voters to accept you as equals.

Administrators, listen to these kids. Don't hear the words dress code. Listen to everything else they're writing. Things like "I'm not being heard." Things like "why do I get punished?" Things like "they're better than me."

As with most things in Union County fads come and end a bit late. The cars with heavy bass speakers, while catching on in other places showed up hear about a year later. Now that they've died out most other places they're still here in Union County. While this may be a source of amusement, it is also an opportunity.

Our schools can look at what happens at other schools and take action (real action) to prevent it here. It's not a dress code, it's simply being heard. That's all these kids want.

Am I attacking the school system? No, I'm just pointing out an opinion. The school system has come under fire lately, and how they handle it will reflect greatly on the county. Business as usual will not work. Teachers are just beginning to feel like they can stand up for themselves.

Students can take a lesson from the teachers (no pun intended). Ask to be heard. Write a letter to the school system. Send it to the Central Office, the school board and your school. Ask to be heard. Ask for an assembly to be called to voice your concerns. Yes, you're young, yes they'll probably say no, but at least you're trying. Continue trying and you'll get results. It may not be this year, but someone will benefit from your example.

And remember, if you do get to speak at an assembly, be prepared. Have your facts and the proof to back them up. Come prepared! They may come to just get you off their backs, but it is your chance to impress them! To impress everyone. Show them that you as students can set an example that the School Board, County Court, or any other grownup official could learn from.

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