Culture clash as American school bans kilt

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

[Old Seadog]

Main Entry: 2kilt Pronunciation Guide Function: noun Date: circa 1730 1 : a knee-length pleated skirt usually of tartan worn by men in Scotland and by Scottish regiments in the British armies 2 : a garment that resembles a Scottish kilt

From the online Merriam Webster's dictionary.

[Churchillspirit]

No self-respecting Scot would appear at a formal dressed like that.

I have attended hundreds - yes hundreds - of Scottish formals in the UK and anyone dressed in a great kilt and a tam would be considered very odd indeed.

[taxcontrol]

The modern convention of adding a sporran to the kilt is an Elizabethan invention - particularlly adding the fur and tails. Further, it was during this time period that tartans were formally established as clan associations. Prior to that, tartan were more regional. Lastly, formal attire does not require a great kilt.

[taxcontrol]

Your assertion is not backed by history.

[Churchillspirit]

Got it!

Black leather??? Not for a formal dance.

[Ros42]

From the top part of the petition:

"While this petition began as a Clan Gunn petition, there have been inquiries from members of other clans. We, therefore, invite members of other clans as well as anyone who is interested in supporting their Scottish heritage, or the rights of others to celebrate their Scottish heritage to join in support of Nathan Warmack by signing this petition. Further, Clan Gunn is proud to sponsor a drive for item donations to complete his Kilt ensemble. We wish for him to wear his kilt with the PRIDE OF THE SCOTS behind him! For information, please contact the author of this petition.

[goldstategop]

http://www.utilikilt.com

[Churchillspirit]

A kilt should be long enough to cover half the knee - anything else is too long or too short. Also a sporran, together with kilt pin; sgian dubh; hose and flashes are also required.

Would you wear a tux without a tie?

[boxerblues]

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.

A Muslim girl in Cleveland sued the Catholic School she was attending as they refused to let her wear her veil with the school uniform...she won by the way

[El Gato]

My office mate tells me that her son in law attended her daughter's high school prom in a kilt. An Irish one. No problem in Killeen Texas. The "South Carolina Hillbilly" is now a US Army tanker, a master gunner in fact, recently returned from Iraq.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

He's an American teenager in Missouri. He was making a stance for his heritage. Ain't the same.

[imintrouble]

After what we in the U.S. has been subjected to in the way or preferential treatment of others, the kilt should be recognized as a "dress of heritage" and worn with pride. It is certainly considered a formal outfit - tartans being woven withmore intricate patterns (such as a white stripe) for "formal wear" but still belonging to the same clan - and these would be called "dress tartans".

The only distraction would not be the kilt but what is worn under it. He could wear shorts to deflect the critics' charges.

When these idiots ban lipstick for women - I'm outta here!

[null and void]

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

Maybe...

[MineralMan]

"A kilt should be long enough to cover half the knee - anything else is too long or too short. Also a sporran, together with kilt pin; sgian dubh; hose and flashes are also required.

Would you wear a tux without a tie?"

---

Please see #66. Yes, the young man is not properly kitted out. He's new to this. As you see from the petition, those supporting him also realize that and are planning to provide the rest of the kit.

While you may well be familiar with the proper wearing of a kilt, not everyone is. Apparently this laddie is just discovering his ancestry, and wishes to honor it. Good for him, I say.

With the help of others of Scots ancestry, he'll probably learn more, and be better prepared this time.

The question is not whether he is wearing a proper kilt and accessories. It is whether the school should forbid him to wear it. I say they should not.

I have one of the proudest names a person of Scots ancestry can bear. Had I known more when I was in high school, I might well have attempted this, as well.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Do people actually wear the great kilt for anything much more than re-enacting or heritage type events? Here in the US, mostly reenactors use them, I think...or anyway, people reenacting scots things or going to highland games days make more of a todo around here about the great kilt.

I don't think the great kilt would be real formal wear, either, just from the illustrations and info I've been able to pick up from this side of the pond...

[Knitting A Conundrum]

He's just an American teenage boy getting started. Think it's great. Think it was awful of his school to behave that way.

[Churchillspirit]

If he was in the military and showed up in fatigues for a formal would that be OK?

[Knitting A Conundrum]

At a high school event, yes. You should see what passes as acceptable in the US at school events.

[El Gato]

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

I always thought that was a pouch to keep stuff in, since the kilt has no pockets.

[JimDingle]

I am surprised no one has posted the Scotsman Song yet.