>Code Breakers
>Pretend if you will that a new mommy dress code has put into effect, requiring all of us to tuck in our shirts.
Can you imagine the stress? The suffering? I mean, remember the 80s, when most of us were forced to suck in our tucked-in, Generra-covered preteen guts every time Andy Knowlton looked our way in Social Studies? I like to think that those horrific days motivated us to pioneer the way in untucking with the express intent that our own daughters would never have to suffer the same fate in their junior high classrooms.
And then Pedro Garcia had to come along and fuck it all up.
Who is Pedro, you ask, and what does he have to do with our preteen daughters? He’s the Superintendent of Schools here in Nashville, a man who bears more than a passing resemblance to Lurch from The Addams Family, a man whom I actually like personally because of his refreshing I-don’t-give-a-shit-what-any-of-you-think personality, but whose policies as superintendent tend to drive me out of my mind.
Right now, Pedro’s trying to push through Standard School Attire, a policy which, if passed by the School Board on April 10th, would require both my stepdaughters to wear only black, navy, or khaki clothing to school next fall. Can you say fugly? And in the meantime, last week Pedro ordered all schools to strictly enforce the dress code, meaning all shirts had to be tucked in. Suddenly, students found themselves in a quandary: Follow Pedro’s rules and risk being arrested by the fashion police, or side with good taste and get sent straight to In School Suspension. How did our beleaguered students respond? Find out in this week’s Nashville Scene edition of Suburban Turmoil…
*Two new book reviews today at Suburban Turmoil Reviews. Check them out here!
>I was one of the “anarchy” kids. I started the petitions and boycotts and raised all kinds of hell.It got me kicked out of school two months before graduation, but I still say it was worth it.
>The same thing is happening over at TomGirl’s school. Its khaki and Navy for everyone next school year! I asked TomGirl how she felt about it thinking we could rage about it together but her only comment was “its ok I guess…as long as I don’t have to wear skirts” (hence her blog nickname). I should have known.
>I thought Metro already did that…or was it as school by school basis…it has been a loong time since I lived there so I don’t remember…
>Tucked-in shirts make it more difficult to hide weapons, which might not otherwise be noticed under loose shirts. I don’t know if that’s a concern in your schools. But, it’s a good preventive measure.
>Ahh, see, before I had popped out all those babies, the thought of tucking in my shirt wouldn’t have caused me to quake with fear and shame, as it does now… It just would have felt socially awkward. But hey, if everyone has to do it, the socially awkward part goes away anyway, right?
>I don’t see a place on your nashville column for outraged people to post their comments. Have they taken that off or did I just miss it?
>I’m kinda with the establishment on this one. Talk about “real world” training. Every place I’ve ever worked has had a dress code – no spaghetti straps or provocative slogans, no open toed shoes, no jeans, that kind of thing. One place (a technical college) even had a requirement that hosiery must be worn! With my 16-year old’s recent interest in ta-ta’s, I’m glad there is some enforced modesty or he might never pay attention in class!
>We had dress code, meaning no revealing clothes or logos/slogans..inappropriate sayings….but I WOULD NEVER tuck in my shirt. I would be in ISS…which I frequently was anyway, BUT, it would have been for a good cause. If they are THAT worried about hiding weapons that they are going to dictate HOW you wear shirts, they should get a metal detector. ANd you know…some shirts WON’T tuck…like…80% of mine. Good article!
>As a student, I would DEFINITELY have a problem with Standard School Attire. I really do expect them to do something about it- I’m kind of disappointed that they haven’t.As a parent, I don’t like it either- Basically, this means that every time Abercrombie or AE or Forever 21 gets a black or khaki skirt in, it’ll be gone that day. I think it’s going to be hard to find clothes that fit the requirements because EVERYONE will be trying to buy the same clothes.I also hate thinking of dressing Punky in drab khaki, navy and black every day for school. Yuck!! I want to put her in cute little girl dresses every day, not a crappy pseduo uniform.As for the gun-hiding argument with tucked in shirts, pshaw. If someone wants to bring a gun to school, he’s not going to let a tucked in shirt deter him.
>They do this in Florida too. My youngest sister is 16 and doesn’t seem to mind. She just owns like 15 golf shirts (they have to be school colors) from Hollister.My mother says that most of the girls try to squeeze themselves into tight golf shirts and tighter khaki pants. She said some of them look more than a little like stuffed sausages.
>My older kids were absolutely aghast when told they’d have to wear uniforms in public schools when we moved to Australia (and I can’t vouch for every state, just the one we live in). Most American kids hate the idea when moving here, but I have to say I really like it.No arguments about what’s appropriate and what’s not. No fights over who has the ‘in’ clothes and who doesn’t and all the drama that goes with that. No worries about will they fit in. No long drawn out decisions about what to wear. I was in heaven.And my kids? When everyone else is doing it they quickly adapted and now don’t even think twice. And the 15 year old finds other ways to express her strong personality. When my 3 year old started preschool this year she was mightily disappointed she’d have to wait to wear a uniform. Very cute.Besides, they’re at school to learn not be in a fashion show.
>Hey, I just asked my daughter if she had heard anything about this yet, and she hasn’t. Is it all the schools that are changing? We are in Williamson county, she goes to Franklin High, and I don’t think they are changing?Let me know!Charity
>I guess I’m in the pro-uniform camp. My son goes to a school with uniforms (a public charter school) and I like it, as does he. They can wear black or khaki pants (or skirts for the girls) and white, black or red shirts (although they can’t wear all black). It makes getting him dressed really easy. And he looks so sharp! He’s only in kindergarten, but wearing a uniform and looking like the big kids makes him feel very grownup!And I’ll have to say that I wish I’d been in a school with uniforms. My parents didn’t have a lot of money and I never had trendy, brand name clothes. Uniforms would have prevented a lot of teasing that I got. More than ever, many kids judge each other by the clothes they wear and so much of their identities can be wrapped up in how they look. And at my son’s school at least, there are plenty of school activities at which uniforms are not required.Plus, there usually are a few stores that stock uniform clothes – Land’s End, JCPenney, even Target. There are uniform stores, too. So there’s really no danger of not being able to find clothes, at least where I live. I understand how changing could be difficult, but it really does have some positives! 🙂
>Man…. that dude IS Lurch, huh?I can see having guidelines, but restricting pant color to 3 choices and mandating tucked shirts seems a bit harsh to me. I’d be screwed on that rule… no way I’m tucking in now, and I didn’t even just have a baby!My niece has always gone to Catholic schools — she’s 16 now & it’s funny how she knows just where the rules can be bent and challenged. I think she even got in trouble for wearing clogs!It seems like good practice to introduce the concept that not “anything goes.” But I’d think general modesty guidelines would suffice.My former employer had to come right out with a dress policy in the summertime & say no spaghetti straps or short shorts… the fact that they even had to SAY that blew my mind. They even had to send some young women home to change their clothes!Is there no sense for what’s appropriate where anymore?Signed,Old Fart
>ugh..the TUCK issue. I swear, they must want to drive us nuts! I had to wash her t-shorts, STREACH them, and hang them to dry- so she could tuck in perfectly cut t-shirst, that happen to hit right at the waist. And, we went and boought- at the end of the school year- a couple new shirts- Kylie says if they have a “finished edge” they don’t have to tuck. Look into that, it seems to be a loophole!
>The schools in Memphis have had this dress code for a few years. It has actually helped with some gang related issues. Tucking in shirts keeps kids from carrying weapons. It also creates a sense of pride for a lot of kids. You can actually see a change in attitude when they do it. Yes, it is not very fashionable but the results have been well worth it.
>You think having to tuck in is bad? Try living in the UK. From the age of 4 kids have to wear uniforms – in Infant School (4-7 yr olds) it was polo shirts, blue knitted cardigans/sweaters, and grey box pleated skirts with socks and black shoes. In Junior school (7-11 yr olds) it was white button down shirt, striped tie (yes a real “business tie” even for the girls), navy blue knitted cardigan and grey box pleated skirt. I’m 16 years old, I left my Junior School 5 years ago and only 3 years ago were trousers declared OK for girls to wear. The whole time I was there, pants for girls were BANNED. No-one even questioned it. SKIRTS ONLY. As for high school, which in Britain you attend from 11-16 yrs, at mine you have to wear grey pleated skirt (again NO TRO– USERS for girls), white shirt, striped tie, navy knitted sweater and a BLAZER. With the school badge affixed smartly to the front. If your REALLY unlucky here, your school has a striped yellow and green blazer, or something like that. Mine, thankfully is dark blue. As for post-16 education, most go to “further education colleges” from 16-18 but some (like I will) go to a Sixth Form College, which is attached to an existing high school, like an extension of the school. My school’s uniform policy for their Sixth Form is “Business Attire”. Dark colours, nothing above the knee, nothing too patterned. Basically a smart business suit with a plain blouse and sweater vest,a handbag and a pair of courts. Its a frightening sight, two hundred 16-18 year olds dressed like corporate clones. A friend of mine was sent home last week for wearing a pair of “leggings” (those really thick tights that form the staple of every teenage girls’ wardrobe here)under a smart, dark jersey-fabric dress. You could see about 1 inch of skin on the whole body. Yet she was sent home, because leggings, and jersey dresses, are not deemed smart enough. Sorry for my rant! But uniform is so normal in many countries, tucking in shirts doesn’t seem so bad, to me anyway. However, it WOULD suck slightly to suddenly have uniforms sanctioned after years of wearing your own clothes.
>Sarah, I don’t think they’ve ever enabled comments on the newspaper site- just the blog- but you can send a letter to the editor by clicking on that link and they seem to publish nearly everything that’s written to them…
>When my kids were younger they attended Catholic elementary school and wore uniforms every day. It did make getting dressed easier but didn’t solve every problem. Girls would roll their skirts to shorten them (until Sister Mary gave them the smack down) and if you didn’t have a Ralph Lauren or Tommy Hilfiger polo shirt for your uniform you clearly weren’t cool.
>I don’t see anything wrong with banning skimpy tops or too short skirts, but tucking shirts in? NO ONE tucks! Except the guys in business suits, but I don’t think we should make our kids wear those either.I wouldn’t mind school uniforms, sure would be cheap and easy!
>My kids aren’t in middle or high school yet, but I have to say that it’s a relief to have uniforms. My 15 year old nephew is always after his parents to buy him expensive name brands. I wouldn’t mind doing that occasionally for personal use; but when he comes home and says someone stole his uniform school logo sweatshirt? Uh-uh. No way would I want them wearing expensive name brands clothes like that to school. Our whole district wears uniforms, so all of the stores stock the colors for the better part of the school year (at least through the summer buying season and into fall/winter). To me, it’s much more economical…not to mention easier…to get them dressed everyday when it’s red or white shirt, navy pants. I do think they go a little far with the tucking in part; if kids are behaving and learning, then I don’t think it’s a big deal whether they tuck or not. But for a lot of kids, it’s an issue of respecting authority and learning to obey the rules. Sure, it seems pointless and mindless; but is it really okay to let our kids rebel against authority, no matter how stupid we might think the rule is? When they get to college, then whatever…they’re adults then. But middle school and high school (even elementary), kids need to be taught to respect authority. And if you can do it in the little things like wearing dress code & tucking your shirt, you’ll be more likely to do it in the bigger things too. And most of all, that’s what is lacking in schools today, respect for authority.
>I’ll be odd woman out on this one. I’m all for the uniform look. Our schools have it and my kids and I love it. No more worrying about what is clean and appropriate to wear to school. We buy five solid same color shirts for each kid at the beginning of the year and two belts along with their five pairs of jeans. They don’t have problems with the tuck situation because they are boys. However, the tuck in point is so low on the belly now because of the low waisted jeans in fashion for girls nowadays that they actually look better than the old high waisted look. Sure, kids want to express themselves and be unique, but there are so many other wonderful ways to be unique without showing your boob cleavage and belly button rings. AAfterall, if you cannot respect authority as a student, you will probably not be able to as an employee…just listen to the disrespect amongst employees/employers at any fast food joint!