School Had Issue With Support Our Troops T-Shirt

[Boomchild]

A middle school student was sent to the office because she was wearing a "Support Our Troops" t-shirt for the school's "dress down day". The irony of it all is the school is located on a military base! It just sickens me that more and more of this anti-American, unpatriotic crap is going on in our schools. It just floored me that a teacher in a school located on a military base would even think there is something wrong with a shirt like that. To me this is just another glaring example that this country is in big, big trouble.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/ ... sts?page=1

[scarygirl]

Grandma was right, the world is going to hell in a hand basket.

A middle school student was sent to the office because she was wearing a "Support Our Troops" t-shirt for the school's "dress down day". The irony of it all is the school is located on a military base! It just sickens me that more and more of this anti-American, unpatriotic crap is going on in our schools. It just floored me that a teacher in a school located on a military base would even think there is something wrong with a shirt like that. To me this is just another glaring example that this country is in big, big trouble.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/ ... sts?page=1

[artist4perry]

Would never and doesn't happen at our school. We teach the children to respect those who serve our country.

[Don]

She was asked to change the shirt because the school already had a rule stating "No graphic T’s without a collar." It had nothing to do with the message on the shirt.
The rules were made by DOD (Department of Defense), not arbitrary rules from a single teacher or school.

The school asked her mother to bring her a shirt with a collar, that's all.
"Cejai’s mom Cassandra told WZTV in Nashville she decided to pick up her daughter rather than make her change."

After a review of the incident, "Department of Defense education system spokesperson Cindy Gibson says patriotic shirts have NOW been added to the list of approved clothing."

If you people want to bitch, call the DOD; they made the rules (which they have now amended).

[Boomchild]

She was asked to change the shirt because the school already had a rule stating "No graphic T’s without a collar." It had nothing to do with the message on the shirt.
The rules were made by DOD (Department of Defense), not arbitrary rules from a single teacher or school.

The school asked her mother to bring her a shirt with a collar, that's all.
"Cejai’s mom Cassandra told WZTV in Nashville she decided to pick up her daughter rather than make her change."

After a review of the incident, "Department of Defense education system spokesperson Cindy Gibson says patriotic shirts have NOW been added to the list of approved clothing."

If you people want to bitch, call the DOD; they made the rules (which they have now amended).

However, if you didn't notice the student wore the shirt on the school's "dress down day" where jeans and non collar shirts are allowed. Their just using that statement as CYA. Whether it was spurred by the DOD or the teacher ,it doesn't matter. It's fuckin' stupid to upset a student over trying to show support for her father and other troops putting their lives on the line. It's a case of pure stupid judgement. What are you trying to defend here?

[Don]

She was asked to change the shirt because the school already had a rule stating "No graphic T’s without a collar." It had nothing to do with the message on the shirt.
The rules were made by DOD (Department of Defense), not arbitrary rules from a single teacher or school.

The school asked her mother to bring her a shirt with a collar, that's all.
"Cejai’s mom Cassandra told WZTV in Nashville she decided to pick up her daughter rather than make her change."

After a review of the incident, "Department of Defense education system spokesperson Cindy Gibson says patriotic shirts have NOW been added to the list of approved clothing."

If you people want to bitch, call the DOD; they made the rules (which they have now amended).

However, if you didn't notice the student wore the shirt on the school's "dress down day" where jeans and non collar shirts are allowed. Their just using that statement as CYA. Whether it was spurred by the DOD or the teacher ,it doesn't matter. It's fuckin' stupid to upset a student over trying to show support for her father and other troops putting their lives on the line. It's a case of pure stupid judgement. What are you trying to defend here?

I'm defending the school administrators.
The clothing rule I stated was for dress down days. Even on dress down days , the DOD set the rule so kids didn't come in with graphics on their shirt that others might find offensive. Whether it says Support the troops or My Little Ponies, the administrators have to treat it the same. They are on a military base, they follow the guidelines set by the DOD. Just because it Says support the troops, the administrator can't just arbitrarily change the rule. This isn't a state public school were things can be done on a whim. It's not a "judgement" call when the rules are in writing.
Like I said, if you want to blame someone, blame the DOD. It sucks that it happened and the DOD has amended the guidelines but It's not a teacher's job to simply change the rules because someone considers the current ones to be "fuckin'" stupid.

Being a veteran myself, I can tell you that her father would be the first to understand why the administrators did what they did while still being proud of his daughter's actions.

Here's the dress code rules by the way. It wasn't the school simply making shit up as they went along.

Tops may be any solid color. Must be pullover polo style or dress shirts with a collar in short/long sleeves of the correct size.
*Must be tucked in at all times with a visible waistband.
*May have natural logo that is no larger than two inches square.
*Undershirts of a solid color with long or short sleeves may be worn underneath another approved shirt.
*NO Graphics, pictures, numerals, or slogans
*NO See-through materials
*NO Excessively tight or revealing clothing
*NO Cleavage-exposing clothing
*NO Sleeveless, Spaghetti strap shirts or tank tops

http://www.am.dodea.edu/campbell/dso/pa ... ssCode.htm

The Dress Code or appropriate school issued uniform is in effect for all students when they are representing the FCSS. The Dress Code is not as structured for activities after the school day. However, the administration always expects clothes to be appropriate and properly worn. Each building administrator reserves the right to prohibit a particular item of clothing or accessory if he or she determines that the item presents a safety concern or that the item is materially and substantively disruptive to the learning environment. Each principal has the authority to declare special dress days at his or her discretion and may approve student clothing that exceeds the dress code standards described above (such as suit coats, argyle sweater vests and similar high standard dress items) on a case by case basis. Students wishing to dress in a fashion that they consider to be in excess of the FCSS dress code standards should consult with a school administrator and get permission for the item/s before wearing them to school. The Board of Education retains the right to quickly recommend additional restrictions for the safety of the students and school system. An example would be if there is a concern about possible gang affiliation.

Absent major challenges in the existing dress code, this policy will not be considered for review or changes until Academic Year 2013-14.

[artist4perry]

I think it is so funny that Don has that ball having a tantrum at the bottom of his posts.

I don't know the full story. I am sure it will resolve itself. I just know the dress code is not so strict at our school and since most of the kids are poor, t-shirts are part of their daily dress. If it was about the pro soldier thing shame on the school, if it was another matter that has always been policy then the parents need to suck it up or go to another school.

[Melissa]

Maybe they should drop the words "dress code" and just call it their uniform policy instead. While I'm all for supporting the troops of course (I'm a military brat, went to DOD schools on bases too), I'm also all for the parents needing to understand the school has a policy and they need to follow it, plain and simple. It's a perfectly clear policy to understand, and NOT a hard one to follow at all. Not sure what the school's idea of "dress down" day is, and maybe they should make a separate policy for that if it does allow for things outside their standard policy, but if not, then parents should follow the policy and stop blaming anyone else when there are consequences for them not doing so.

[Boomchild]

I'm defending the school administrators.
The clothing rule I stated was for dress down days. Even on dress down days , the DOD set the rule so kids didn't come in with graphics on their shirt that others might find offensive. Whether it says Support the troops or My Little Ponies, the administrators have to treat it the same. They are on a military base, they follow the guidelines set by the DOD. Just because it Says support the troops, the administrator can't just arbitrarily change the rule. This isn't a state public school were things can be done on a whim. It's not a "judgement" call when the rules are in writing.
Like I said, if you want to blame someone, blame the DOD. It sucks that it happened and the DOD has amended the guidelines but It's not a teacher's job to simply change the rules because someone considers the current ones to be "fuckin'" stupid.

Being a veteran myself, I can tell you that her father would be the first to understand why the administrators did what they did while still being proud of his daughter's actions.

Here's the dress code rules by the way. It wasn't the school simply making shit up as they went along.

Tops may be any solid color. Must be pullover polo style or dress shirts with a collar in short/long sleeves of the correct size.
*Must be tucked in at all times with a visible waistband.
*May have natural logo that is no larger than two inches square.
*Undershirts of a solid color with long or short sleeves may be worn underneath another approved shirt.
*NO Graphics, pictures, numerals, or slogans
*NO See-through materials
*NO Excessively tight or revealing clothing
*NO Cleavage-exposing clothing
*NO Sleeveless, Spaghetti strap shirts or tank tops

http://www.am.dodea.edu/campbell/dso/pa ... ssCode.htm

The Dress Code or appropriate school issued uniform is in effect for all students when they are representing the FCSS. The Dress Code is not as structured for activities after the school day. However, the administration always expects clothes to be appropriate and properly worn. Each building administrator reserves the right to prohibit a particular item of clothing or accessory if he or she determines that the item presents a safety concern or that the item is materially and substantively disruptive to the learning environment. Each principal has the authority to declare special dress days at his or her discretion and may approve student clothing that exceeds the dress code standards described above (such as suit coats, argyle sweater vests and similar high standard dress items) on a case by case basis. Students wishing to dress in a fashion that they consider to be in excess of the FCSS dress code standards should consult with a school administrator and get permission for the item/s before wearing them to school. The Board of Education retains the right to quickly recommend additional restrictions for the safety of the students and school system. An example would be if there is a concern about possible gang affiliation.

Absent major challenges in the existing dress code, this policy will not be considered for review or changes until Academic Year 2013-14.

Regardless of all of this it was a poor way of handling the matter based on this situation. I would be willing to bet that if the student was wearing a collarless t-shirt with a positive Islamic message on it they would have not said a word. They should have used more discretion based on the situation here. Instead they chose to take the hard line. If they felt things were totally OK with the situation then the DOD or whomever wouldn't have made an adjustment to the dress code.