Culture clash as American school bans kilt

scotsman.com ^ | 12/06/05 | WILL SPRINGER

[Knitting A Conundrum]

As a Scots descendant, I am offended. But will it matter to the pc police who cry at every non-european or non-religious, or sexual deviant diffence? Where's the ACLU to complain about the defamation of Scots' rights?

[camle]

that don't look like no kilt to me - it's too long for one, and there isn't the little furry thing in the middle (go ahead, pick up on that one!)

a tartan patten doesn't a kilt make.

[LIConFem]

I'd bet anything that had Nathan Warmack carried a matching handbag, the school would have had no problem with his attire.

;o)

[thoughtomator]

Apparently "diversity" is only an issue if you're not white/European.

[Rebel_Ace]

I always thought that kilts were considered formal wear.

[mnehring]

They can take our kilts, but they'll never take our freedom!


or

If it's not Scottish, it's CRAP! (So I Married an Axe Murderer)

[Gabz]

You beat me to it :)

[Tax-chick]

Oh, phooey on the school! With all the girls at the dance practically naked, nobody's going to be "distracted" by this young man's knees!

[Tax-chick]

School dance ping :-).

[RebelBanker]

The furry thing in the middle is called a sporran. The 'casual' ones are not furry, but are made of plain leather.

Without the proper belt and sporran, this chap gives the appearance of wearing a skirt, not a kilt.

[MillerCreek]

If they can ban the kilt, then they can ban baggy jeans, jeans around the butts, hispanic big and/or greasy hair, big nails, Asian pencil boxes, whatever!

I like the guy's kilt, and kilts all. I'm also a Scot descendant (directly, no combo ancestry), so I realize I'm fond of kilts for ancestry reasons, but...

[fr_freak]

This is considered proper attire in Scotland, but it's not considered proper attire in my school.

This attitude is just fine with me, as long as he takes the same attitude with all non-standard dress, which means no middle-eastern looking robes, African robes, turbins, etc.

[CheyennePress]

Honestly, when I read this story, I expected to see some Goth freak wearing a kilt with chains coming out everywhere, high black leather boots, and a t-shirt.

This guy looks perfectly respectable and knows what the heck he's talking about.

I can see banning one of the little freakoids wearing a kilt solely for the purpose of drawing attention to one's self (of course they'll call it self-expression), but for someone who actually has a reason to wear something a little unusual, I'll bet they let this guy sport the plaid.

[Vaquero]

"They've gone to plaid!!!"

[Paloma_55]

People who walk around barefoot should not be angered when someone steps on their toes.

I would say the same thing if an Islamic demanded to wear a Burka to school, or a descendent of Africans demanded to wear a loincloth, or a descendent of Native Americans demanded to wear a tribal headdress.

He set himself up for a fall.

Now there is a question as to how he was treated. The principal should have simply said it was inappropriate and left it at that.

As a kid, my mom was cutting my hair and messed it up big time. My dad, as a joke, cut me a mohawk. I went to school and they kicked me out for the day. When I got home, my dad cut it off and that was that. No big deal. No feigned outrage. Just a quick haircut.

People do stupid things. They should just admit it and move on.

[basil]

Kilts are considered formal wear--in Scotland. What this kid has on is not a formal syle kilt. Looks to me like he has a different version of the "skirt" part of a kilt. All the kilts I have ever seen in Scotland and the US have pleats in the "skirt" part. There is also a sash like affair that goes across one shoulder, and is fastened at the waist on the opposite side. Also, the little pouch-like bag they wear around the waist that hangs down to prevent the kilt from flying up when they are dancing is missing

And what's with those shoes? They are certainly not formal wear in any language--LOL!

[Mathews]

I wonder what would've happened if a student of Middle Eastern decent attempted to wear a headdress (veil/burka/Kafka)?

[Campion]

Without the proper belt and sporran, this chap gives the appearance of wearing a skirt, not a kilt.

You're right, it does look like a skirt -- or maybe a wraparound blanket.

He also needs that garter-type thing around his calf, complete with knife. That probably violates a zero-tolerance no-weapons policy.

[TheBigB]

With all the girls at the dance practically naked

Pix? ;)

[Churchillspirit]

You are right - it is too long and without the correct accessories it does not look good.

BTW Part of my business is selling made-to-measure kilts - many of them for graduations.