Re: LHS Dress Code
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 4:50 pm
I'll jump in on this one- specifically because it was the dress code that sparked me to pick up a pen (or keyboard) and voice my opinion on the matter when I was a student at LHS.
This dress code was implemented my sophomore year of high school. Hoodies were banned, and I remember the administration saying any clothing that was not school pride related that has a logo bigger than a quarter was also banned. I quickly began assembling a team of about 150 students and raised funds to print neon t-shirts with giant quarters printed on the front. I'm talking the size of an apple pie. I was all about showin' up the man, man.
I ended up in the principals office. Thankfully I had a principal that was always willing to listen to what we as a student body had to say. The t-shirt plan was foiled, we got a bit of freedom and I penned my first piece for the LHS Times. I remember being met with opposition from parents on the deck while trying to explain where the students are coming from.
skip to my point:
While I get that on the surface it looks like a bunch of kids complaining about not being able to wear hoodies, for me, there is a much bigger issue here.
My hope is that these students voice their opinions and are not scared away from doing so. My hope is that the leaders in the building encourage dialogue and growth because it is how young teens transition into competent voters and citizens. My hope is that parents ask their kids what their opinions are, and this becomes an open door for open dialogue on future issues that are much bigger than hoodies and bras. We need to raise kids to be able to voice their displeasure safely and respectfully, and most importantly inspire them to come up with reasonable solutions to disagreements. This is how they develop their critical thinking. Some of our current leaders on social injustices were quirky kids who looked at the world, found their calling to fight for something and dreamed big enough and did it. No matter the odds or the amount of people who told them that things just won't change.
I'm not a parent, but I know my parents never backed down from an opportunity to let me think for myself and develop an opinion. Also, no matter how right or wrong my position was on issues, the fact that taking a stand was encouraged and welcomed by my teachers and principals helped shape me for the better.
Carry on..
This dress code was implemented my sophomore year of high school. Hoodies were banned, and I remember the administration saying any clothing that was not school pride related that has a logo bigger than a quarter was also banned. I quickly began assembling a team of about 150 students and raised funds to print neon t-shirts with giant quarters printed on the front. I'm talking the size of an apple pie. I was all about showin' up the man, man.
I ended up in the principals office. Thankfully I had a principal that was always willing to listen to what we as a student body had to say. The t-shirt plan was foiled, we got a bit of freedom and I penned my first piece for the LHS Times. I remember being met with opposition from parents on the deck while trying to explain where the students are coming from.
skip to my point:
While I get that on the surface it looks like a bunch of kids complaining about not being able to wear hoodies, for me, there is a much bigger issue here.
My hope is that these students voice their opinions and are not scared away from doing so. My hope is that the leaders in the building encourage dialogue and growth because it is how young teens transition into competent voters and citizens. My hope is that parents ask their kids what their opinions are, and this becomes an open door for open dialogue on future issues that are much bigger than hoodies and bras. We need to raise kids to be able to voice their displeasure safely and respectfully, and most importantly inspire them to come up with reasonable solutions to disagreements. This is how they develop their critical thinking. Some of our current leaders on social injustices were quirky kids who looked at the world, found their calling to fight for something and dreamed big enough and did it. No matter the odds or the amount of people who told them that things just won't change.
I'm not a parent, but I know my parents never backed down from an opportunity to let me think for myself and develop an opinion. Also, no matter how right or wrong my position was on issues, the fact that taking a stand was encouraged and welcomed by my teachers and principals helped shape me for the better.
Carry on..
