Kilt or No Kilt?

[CelticCowboy]

One of my nephews is graduating from high school next month in the town of Raymond, Alberta, Canada. He asked if it would be okay to wear my Forbes tartan (muted) kilt. He was told, absolutely not! The reason? A dress code. I was so pleased he would want to wear my kilt, made for me about 18 years ago at a princely sum by one of the finest kiltmakers in Scotland. How many thousands of young men have worn kilts for graduation in countries around the world? Needless to say, I was disappointed my nephew, who would wear the kilt with great respect, had been denied this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There has been some media attention and a family friend created a Facebook support page. A hundred people and more have posted comments.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/...14277515281104

As much as I agree with the Westwind School Division superintendent that there is a dress code for graduation, I believe the reason for enforcing the code is that some fool embarrassed the school last year by wearing a kilt and doing who knows what.

I am not sure that Hamish would be defiant and create a scene, but I have advised his mother that there's more than one way to skin a cat: He could wear trews or he could distribute patches of tartan to students to carry with them (just as was done a couple hundred years ago when tartan was banned).

[Paul]

Hamish, I hope you get to wear it. I joined your group

[Good Egg]

I feel quite strongly about this, it is cultural fascism. Any business has a right to regulate what its employees wear when the represent the business, anyone having a private social function may specify a 'dress code' and has the right to expect their guests to adhere to it. A school prom or graduation ceremony is not either of these things. Pupils are required by law to attend school. With the exception of private education schools are public bodies paid for by the tax payer and have no right to impose narrow moral or cultural codes on their charges.

If this is the end of your nephews school career then he should make a stand. In the first instance he or better still his parent if he is under 18, should write to the school principle (copies to the school political authority) stating that he feels the school is being culturally insensitive.

If the issue is not resolved he has to decide whether he will attend the function or not. If he decides not to attend he must decide whether he will stand outside the school dressed in his kilt to greet and handshake all those entering the school except of course the bigots in charge.

Do you have an address fro this school? I'll write to them!

[sdc]

Just saw this on the news; he absolutely should be allowed to wear the kilt.

[McClef]

I could not find a button to click to join but I managed to leave a comment.

[CDNSushi]

Being from Lethbridge myself, this is very close to home and I will also join the FB group and voice my support.

It's incredibly sad that in today's modern age, prohibitions based on fear and ignorance still find their a way to pollute administrators' decision-making abilities.

P.S.

[Good Egg]

The admin wonk responsible has said that the school district has a dress code that male students must wear 'pants' at the 'convocation' ceremony. I understand where they are coming from, they are trying to make sure that it is a smart affair and I would support them in that ambition.

Unfortunately they forgot that smart male wear may also include kilts and other national dress - Chinese chung sam, African robes etc. Rules are for the guidance of the wise and the blind obedience of fools.

These people have cast themselves in the role of fools. They are now blindly insisting on imposing rules that are not fit for purpose when they have the authority to either override the rules or more appropriately change them.

[cessna152towser]

It beggars belief that someone so grossly incompetent as to come up with a silly decision like this which insults Scottish culture ever got appointed as a principal in the first place. The school board must have been desperately short of applicants.

[dfmacliam]

It's a shame that the actions of last years fool has to have reprocusions on others who want to show their Hertitage respect. I wish you well on your endeavor, I know it's an uphill battle.

[Lallans]

It's slightly uncanny that this story was running in the background (on CBC Radio) as I was opening this thread. The story concluded with the newsperson quoting the lad as saying he would show up in boxer shorts if his kilt isn't permitted.

Canada's endless internal bragging about our cultural sensitivity et al is not extended and therefore apparently does not apply to Albertan Scots children, which isn't right. I'll do what I can from 2000 miles away- is the phone number of the school available somewhere?

Thanks to goodness I am out of school and no longer subject to this sort of arbitrary, authoritarian nonsense from the clueless- it makes growing old look pretty good.