The Observation Deck

DL/Dan/Mary Anne Crampton

I was not able to attend the meeting as I was at the Last Lakewood Alive meeting. I thought there would be more meeting but got a call from Dan Slife The Observer at the meeting who said, "they passed it."

From what I have heard, it would seem that things were added at the last minute, and then it was hurried through. That said I suppose it was given the light of day, as in many things I suppose I got in late. I also think the school board can pass any rule they think is important to help children learn.

BUT...

Does this law open the schools to needless litigation that will drain resources and funds from the school. Does stifling creative urges really help "engage the children"? Is this not just another version of banning, long hair, short hair, peace symbols, poodle skirts and pegged pants?

I agree with Mary Anne that the people that gave up time and effort to study the program should be respected for their efforts, but I would also be interested to hear what Plan B and C are if this does not have the desired effects.

I was at a graduation party, and there were four teachers and one in administration I believe. They engaged the students that were there in a discussion about the dress code. It did not go well. As I left to go home hours later the teachers were off by themselves talking of the need for the dress code but each one mentioned they did not want to be the ones to enforce it. That should fall on counselors and house principals. Yet another problem, why have something that cannot be enforced?

Dan Ott, a proud Lakewood grad, has hit the nail on the head. During my school days I was suspended in Horace Mann for having hair to long. A week later I had my head shaved and was sent home for having hair to short. From what I had been told the discipline cause more "talk" then the action. In high school I was pulled in for having Che Guvara and the Zig Zag Man on clothing, both times I was given the option of going home and changing or wearing a coat. Of course with the current rules, a coat would not be allowed.

As Dan put it the secret is with the teachers. How to engage the students at a time when hormones are going wild, and thoughts are elsewhere besides school. Peer pressure at an all time high, while rebellion comes as natural as breathing. It is a very tough problem. Just one of many reasons I never saw teaching as an option for me. My sister is a teacher, and I tip my hat to all in the profession. The future of America is in their hands.

The Lakewood Observer will be posting the old rules and new rules on this forum. We will also put the new rules in the July 4th edition of the paper. That way parents will have ample time to get to Geiger's, The Beat, or K-Mart to get school clothes. However this will hit place Lakewood businesses like Cleveland Graphics, Aartvark Design Studios, and No Mercy Sportswear the hardest. Ironically, No Mercy Sportswear's entire product line shows support for the hunt for Bin Landin, the troops overseas, and 9/11, these are no longer legal. But that will be another story for another day.

FWIW

Jim O'Bryan

Obi has also brought up another reason not to impose these dress codes: the kids that have more issues with authority are the ones that really need to be in constructive learning environments, not sitting in the principle's office because their shirt says "NIN" on it. (or whatever kids these days are listening to....kids these days...jeeze...)

I just feel like there is nothing right about this whole thing. I don't think there was a big problem when i was a student. Maybe it was just because i was lucky in my class selection, but i really don't think so. If things have changed so much in four years, then someone explain to me why it's kids' clothing that is at fault. i just will never understand it.

i am obviously pro-freedom of speech in the most liberal sense, but i understand that sometimes, especially with children, sometimes things need to be done that don't sit especially well with me. but if i see good justification for it, then i can be convinced. i'm sure some people i talk to about things think i'm simply a blind liberal who automatically rejects any kind of control, but i'm really not. it's just that i see this as not only not helpful, but also potentially detrimental for the kids, teachers, parents, businesses as jim said, and anyone else for wasting their time.

if someone can explain to me their reasoning, or your reasoning, if you're for this thing, please do. i am all ears as always.


~dan

Part of the rationale for passing a restrictive "dress code" is that it somehow enhances order and control in the classroom. This is widely believed to be true by teachers, and especially administrators, but a review of the literature shows mixed results.

Challenges to the legality of strict codes are often won because the standards the court applies to these cases require that the schools show that the dress code was implemented to deal with an existing problem AND that the particular situation being examined "caused disruption" in the school. Quite often, the schools are unable to prove this and the weight of the right of the student to express themselves in a non-disruptive way is upheld.

The schools have always had the right and ability to limit shirts with obscene writing and to ask students not to wear see through blouses or sagging pants. However, the limiting of ANY writing on a shirt is very dangerous. There are MANY sites on the web that clearly show the difference between what IS allowed in a dress code and what would be a restriction of free speech.

Like Jim, I see the potential for lawsuit, which means spending money to defend.

I have children in Lakewood schools and I attended one public comment meeting. Like others here, I see this as a desperate attempt to "look like we're doing something."

I think the effort should be directed elsewhere.



http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=clothing_dress_codes_uniforms

Just to my my paddle (I don't have an oar) in the water:

As to the first amendment tee-shirt issue:
The rational behind banning ALL writing is to avoid having to make a determination of what is acceptable writing. Once you get on that slippery slope, you have all kinds of Constitutional issues, prior restraint of speech, etc. It is far easier to simply keep the door closed.

As to the rebelling issue: Mr. Ott is of course corrrect. We all know that as parents, the harder we push our children towards what we want them to do, the more they resist (and tend to do precisely the opposite). That does not mean, however, that the schools (in loco parentis) should allow the need to rebell to outweight the job of educating. If behavior, dress or attitude impact the ability to conduct the business of the schools, then not only are restrictions appropriate, they are necessary. While I'm not altogether certain that hair color should be an issue (I think my son went through every color imaginable) I won't second guess the conclusions.

The bottom line, however, has been, and always will be enforcement. It doesn't matter what the code of behavior SAYS, if it isn't enforced. Even if the "new" dress code has removed gray areas and subjective enforcement (a bad thing), and lends itself to objective enforcement (a good thing) it all becomes a moot point unless there is a willingness to see it implemented. So, rather then security guards paling around with the kids they know best (those who are causing trouble), they're actually going to have to enforce the rules. Rather then teachers turning a blind eye to students using cell phones during class they will have to confiscate them. The mere existance of the rule is frankly, moot, unless there exists a consequence for its violation

Jeff

Minds are like parachutes. They only function when they are open. -Sir James Dewar,
Scientist (1877-1925)

Just recieved 2005/06 Dress Code, posted in School News.

Several points made in the discussion so far are relevant to how the community makes a creative adjustment to matters of consensus, culture, education, identity and law.

First, Lakewood City Schools launched a consensus building process on climate and dress code. In a consensus building process one of the rules of the game is the buy-in commitment to an end result.

This buy-in commitment can be summarized briefly as - “Can we live with it?â€Â￾

To honor the work of the people who committed themselves to this community process, who took on the huge responsibility of arriving at an answer to the “Can we live with itâ€Â￾ conundrum is the natural response of the communitarian.

I honor the work performed on my behalf.

Yet it would seem from the itching and the second-guessing that some individuals do not know for sure.

Thus the usual individual/collective friction points of civics lessons come into play before our very eyes.

The individual who did not participate in community’s consensus building process may approach the results through a lens of suspicion or trust.

The question of “can we live with itâ€Â￾ is not likely to mean quite so much to the individual who for whatever reason did not participate in the process.

That does not mean that participation by the individual must stop.

Nor does it mean that the results of the consensus building process should be tossed out by individuals who did not participate.

Again the individual and the community are back to the question “Can we live with it?â€Â￾

The answer is we don’t know until we try.

Thus we find our community in the zones of experimentation and education that Dan Slife has identified as pivotal to our times in Lakewood.

Will this experiment do irreparable harm to free speech, to individual expression, to the differentiating cognitive drives of youth, to the rebellious teen spirit, to the cool Lakewood cultural brand?

I don’t know for sure.

Whether or not our community’s local agents – from parents, children, teachers, neighbors, intellectuals, Lakewood Observers and neighbors – can open the way of increased attention, effort, engagement and interest sufficiently enough to the process and the fallout from a consensus building exercise over school climate and dress code remains to be seen.

Whether or not Lakewood can create an intelligent and effective response to these complex matters will offer important knowledge about the local culture’s capacity for building a new vision and determination?

How many times in the past have dress codes been tightened up only to find that the motivations and capacities for enforcement were weak?

It sounded to me like the “no writingâ€Â￾ rule stems from a judgment call that enforcement of the dress code is more likely to be accomplished along this exclusionary line.

Is that the surgical tool needed to make the code effective?

I don’t know.

I do trust my understanding that of organizational necessity the consensus building process must open to the judgment of the Board and Superintendent concerning the tools needed to carry out the “can we live with itâ€Â￾ decision.

It is possible that the enforcement tools needed to carry out the “can we live with itâ€Â￾ decision are pushing up against a sense of “we can’t live with that.â€Â￾

I don’t know.

There are complex matters of perception and judgment about implementation.

Nit-picking and itching may serve a productive purpose, if the feedback is handled wisely.

Debate cannot be stopped.

Feedback is critical all along the way.

Dr. Chuck has spoken very eloquently about the opportunity to create for our young people a state of mind that goes beyond the cheap trills of “look at me culture.â€Â￾

Perhaps the experimental terms this consensus building exercise calls upon all of us to create for Lakewood are very bold.

Can we launch an experiment that overcomes the enforcement drag on the imagination and creative expression of young people?

Is it possible for Lakewood to create from the so called draconian fallout of the constricted dress code a new possibility wherein youth might escape through brain power and imagination the very mechanics of image subjugation the dominant mass culture inscribes across their minds?

That’s a tall order in both education and experimentation.

Clearly teachers must overcome inertia and participate actively and intelligently with the administrators, counselors and parents and students to build an educational culture wherein the approach to brainpower, self-image, and intellectual inquiry goes far beyond the cheap trills of “look at me culture.â€Â￾ No excuses.

Teachers are either in this with the whole community, joining together with all us trying to grapple with a complex matter, or they will doom the consensus building process to a disrespect that will haunt all of us.

The School Super and Board of Ed cannot do this work alone. Nor can they do it solely with the help of counselors and house principals.

Whether or not the community chooses to handle the fallout of the dress code positively or negatively hinges on energetic and intelligent participation by everybody.

I would suggest we try to do so in a spirit of experimentation.

In a spirit of experimentation, the code may prompt a response that is profoundly counter-cultural, getting beyond the cheap trills of “look at me culture.â€Â￾

Without a spirit of experimentation, the code may prompt a response that simply rebels from a draconian, militaristic clamp down of self-expression.

That builds character, too.

How Lakewood articulates the community culture that supports consensus building, education and experimentation around a matter as complex as dress code is clearly a job for the Lakewood Observer.

Kenneth Warren

speaking from the point of view of some what "unrulley" teenager... they way that i look as an adult would not fit into most of the dress code. i can see the words on clothing issue to a certain degree... maybe if there were racial slurs or curse words...but i dont think that it can be so cut and dry. maybe instead of focusing on how short the skirt is we should teach our girls how to respect their bodys and teach them and we dont need to dress like celeberty because that is fake... and it cheepens them as a human being.. instead of supressing someones indevituality. let me put it this way.. when i was in high school.. i had a pink mohawk... and if the teacher at my school would have sent me home for having it... i would have wanted to have it more... i think that there are bigger fish to fry.. more underline issues that if someones hair or clothing is considered normal. I think that most of the real issues lies with people comfort levels... lets look past the outside and look into ourselves
extreme dress code = censorship

Lynne:

Welcome. I am glad you are providing insight on the dress code matter.

Input from young mothers, with strong indie vibes, needs to register on the community's radar screen.

You and your children are our city's future.

You are detecting levels of complexity in the visualization of class, code and culture.

I don't quite understand the ramifications and rationale for the restrictions on unnatural hair colors.

If someone needed to go deep blue, a wig seems an easy enough work around.

However, your pink mohawk would probably pass code.

Believe it not, I asked Dr. Estrop if mohawks and long hair were OK.

He said yes.

I said that's great, because hippy and punk are part of the Lakewood brand.

How do you feel about the community consensus process, about settling for a "can we live with it" solution, and the sometimes seemingly illogical compromises such settlements entail?

The big question is - do you think Lakewood Public Schools can actually create a culture of creativity and intelligence that get kids beyond knee jerk reactive expressions of individuality?

Or do you believe that such tall order is a job for a Waldorf School?

Thanks again for getting involved.

Kenneth Warren

ken,
it seems to me that if only parents could instill in their children that it doesnt matter what people lopk like... or where they come from and then apply that to them selfves that maybe it could work... but sadly everyone has bias.... including myself... i cring when i see a cop... or a suit... no offence... hahah... but it takes some self evaluation... and actually talking about our fears... and or bias to over come... and get over the kid with blue hair... in class... maybe this is the work of my ideal waldorf school... doubt it will happen... but man it would be nice.
Lynn
ps. the can we deal with it is a total cop-out

Lynne:

Our ideal is to move our community into circuits of knowing of each to such a caring degree that we get beyond reaction to the obvious visual code, understanding that the suit, the mohawk, the badge are simply levels of camouflage designed to protect certain assumptions that must be challenged with day-in and day-out engagement with compassion, creativity, effort and intelligence.

I truly believe we can create for Owen and the other childen in Lakewood learning environments that will trump the Waldorf School and bring all of us closer to our ideals.

Minds and hearts must be open, ready to connect to the person whether in suit, badge or mohawk. That's the expectation. Of course, we may fail the ideal from time to time. So we go forward again, trying to open together in community toward the hope and love that makes a great space for children.

If we can make learning happen together, Lakewood can be more stimulating than a Waldorf cacoon.

Let's keep the dream line for learning in Lakewood open.

Let me know how the library can help.

Kenneth Warren

ken,
i have been doing alittle reasearch about the religion that waldorf eduaction is based off... rouldof steiner is kind of a nut huh? I dont know about all the past lives and negitive children being taken away from the things they love.... i like the concepts of the education... but i am have third thoughts about associating myself with a biggot and a nut job.... have any thoughts???
as far as what the libary could do for me and owen in tearms of education... get some waldorf inspired books.... or some old school fair tail books from diffrent countrys... maybe a wooden toy making class for kids... or parents... hahahha.... help me sheer a sheep... and spin into wool... or teach my kid to make a beter loaf of bread than me...just kidding...
Lynn

Lynne:

The library does have Waldorf Education materials in the collection, along with a fair amount of Rudolph Steiner's esoteric writing.

Steiner was an occult philosopher and author of more than 350 volumes on agriculture, art, Christology, cosmology, economics, education, evolution, philosophy and science. His metapysical teachings include elements of theosophy, Rosicrucianism, Plato, Goethe, and Christianity. As a clairvoyant, Steiner claimed that his spiritual teachings were based on his ability to read the Akashic Record and see past events imprinted on the cosmic aether.

Steiner professes the Etheric Christ, which entered into the earth in the Mystery of Golgatha and will become visible in modern times, and then, over the next three thousand years, to more and more people.

So there's a current of gnostic religion in Steiner not easily accepted in orthodox religious circles.

Is he a nut, you ask. I don't know.

To my mind Steiner is definitely far out and complex in his claims, thinking, propositions and beliefs. He is very difficult to read, although the library has a very good illustrated Beginner's Guide to Steiner.

His gnostic approach is not conventional from today's political, religious or secular viewpoints.

Add a dose root race theories, a central European bias. Hence there is something to Steiner's vision deemed morally objectionable in a post-Holocaust world.

So when you think about Waldorf Education it is important to understand the complete context of Steiner's vision.

Kenneth Warren

I just recived my issue of the report card for the schools and it put a fire in my stomach. I read some comments on this board now I have cuss words in my throat. I am furious about the new dress code. A dress code will NOT dramaticly increase test scores or academics if at all. I am so angry that this has passed. I am angry that people think by the book, orderly, bar code style of oppression is a great idea for the public schools. Forget thinking freely let's tell kids how to express themselves... as long as we agree!!! I am angry at myself for not becoming more civicly involved and voicing my opinion before this absurb dress code came into affect. Is there ANYTHING I can do about it now? I was born and raised in lakewood. I went to lakewood public schools. I remember how cold some of the rooms in the old building at lhs became. Not allowed to wear a hooded sweatshirt COME ON! I came from a family without an expandable income. and I remember times when I had to tough out wearing worn out clothes for just a little longer. Would I not be privilaged enough to attend class. I know kids can express themselves on their own time. Lets say a 15 year old kid wants to have green hair or a nose peircing if that kid attends lakewood public schools they must wait till they stop attending weather by graduating or dropping out because green hair and peircings don't go away after the weekend. I know this is incredibly reactionary but I have something vested in these public schools. They were one of the main things that brought me back to northeast Ohio when I found out I was going to become a father for the first time. My agruement for sending Owen [my son] lakewood public schools was that is was a melting pot of children. all with diffrent life experiances. all from diffrent backgrounds and all with wild ways of expressing themselves. In my lifetime I found that was one of the most important lessons I learned in the schools. People are individals with individuls needs. I want to thank the people involved for saving the kids from themselves and myself for being so apathdic with the issue. I won't let it happen agian.

Here are my two cents about the dress code. I think it is a bit over the top to say the least. My concern is that good kids come in all different packages. My nine year old has long hair. I get comments from people all the time about how I shouldn't let him have his hair so long and that I should make him cut it. But as a parent I have learned to pick and chose my battles. He is a good student and a nice polite boy, to me that is far more important than his hair or his clothing. When I was a teenager I had my hair dyed various colors of the rainbow. I'm sure there were quite a few adults that probably thought I was a thug or something, but I wasn't. I was a good kid who never even ditched school. Teenagers need to be free to dress the way they chose or else they will find another way to rebel. And I am sure the ways they will rebel will be far worse than dressing differently then us. Also your teenage years are really the only years you have to express yourself in outlandish fashions, that was the fun part of being a teenager.

And for the record I did not attend any of the meetings as we were living out of state. I wish I would have been here to express my opinions.

Lakewood schools have always had a dress code. The issue has always been the choice of whether (and ability) to enforce that which is already in place. The current dress code was not enforced. Is a stricter dress code likely to see any greater enforcement? Probably not. Providing greater penalties for a wider range of infractions without either the ability or will to enforce what was already in place in an excercise in frustration and futility.
SO...rather then seaching for appropriate means to enforce the existing code, including identification of who is responsible, mandating actions to be taken and developing a workable means to enforce that which is already present, we develop a code which. while more restrictive, is more likely to be unenforcible. Time, effort and hard work wasted while failing to address the underlying enforcemnet problem which still remains without action. You can put all the laws you want on the books, but unless some police officer has a radar gun, chances are people will still go 80 mph on I 480.
The sign in front of LHS declares, "Celebrating Diversity". Perhaps we should add "by requiring we all look alike".

Jeff