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Message to Tennessee on saggy pants: Butt out
Memphis Commercial Appeal ^ | 4/8/12 | Wendi C. Thomas

Posted on 04/08/2012 7:32:52 AM PDT by SmithL

Saggy pants in schools are such a menace to society that school boards will now be forced to outlaw them.

Yep, that's what our state legislature decided last week, by passing a "nanny state" bill introduced by Memphis' own Rep. Joe Towns Jr.

The law requires local school districts to create and enforce a ban on "clothing that exposes underwear or body parts in an indecent manner that disrupts the learning environment."

It covers girls' sports bras, and was a weakened version of what Towns proposed three years ago.

The earlier bill would have made it a criminal offense for anyone to "knowingly wear pants below waistline to show underwear or buttocks" in any public place.

Repeated offenses would have been a Class A misdemeanor, putting droopy pants into the same category with simple assaults and prostitution.

On this Towns and I agree: Saggy pants are aesthetically offensive. They don't project an image congruent with maturity or self-respect.

I cringe when I see a man's drawers escaping from the top of his pants, which usually are belted just beneath his rear end.

When these guys have to move quickly and lose their precarious hold on their pants, I think: Serves you right.

That said, I've seen no proof that this is a matter of public safety, or even that kids who sag their pants are proven miscreants.

Towns said the law had lots of support in the legislature and in the community.

"In schools, high schools, places of academic training, those are places the kids should learn all the good habits they need" for a successful professional life, Towns said Friday.

Parents should be the first line of clothing defense, Towns said, but sometimes kids leave the house dressed appropriately only to succumb to peer pressure and sag their pants at school.

Only nine state representatives, eight of them Republican, voted against the bill, which passed unanimously in the Senate.

Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, was one of the no votes.

Before the vote, "I looked into different school boards to see if they had adopted policies already that had dealt with that," Sexton said. (Towns acknowledged that he did no such research, not across the state or even locally.)

Several had, Sexton found, yet Towns' bill would require school districts to create a policy, whether local districts felt like they needed one or not.

"I thought it was too much of a reach," Sexton said, and an issue best left to local powers.

Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden, another no vote, was surprised by the margin with which the bill passed.

"I don't want (my) vote to come across like I wear saggy pants or I even endorse it," he said. "I think most folks were casting their votes because they don't like people wearing saggy britches."

Said Rep. Scotty Campbell, R-Mountain City: "My preference is that the local school board...be allowed to make decisions regarding what is appropriate in their schools."

Imagine that: A local entity empowered to make its own decisions.

(Here is where snarky Wendi would note that the legislature had no qualms rewriting state law to dictate the merger of the city and county schools, but snarky Wendi has the day off.)

Legislators are not elected to be the fashion police, particularly when the style is likely a passing fad.

"The school system, there's a lot going on and a lot...it may not be a priority," Towns said.

Exactly. If school districts can ban saggy pants and haven't, then why should the state step in?

Pursuing such legislation is a waste of our elected officials' time. Bills like these only reinforce the perception that our representatives in Nashville are majoring in the minors.

If legislators think any such non-problems require legislative intervention, maybe they need a swat right above the area where saggy pants usually start.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Government; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: pantsontheground; saggers; saggypants; tennessee; tn
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1 posted on 04/08/2012 7:32:59 AM PDT by SmithL
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To: SmithL

I have absolutely no problem with a dress code either for schools or places of business whether applying it to workers OR patrons.


2 posted on 04/08/2012 7:41:56 AM PDT by getgo
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To: getgo

We had a dress code when I was in school. For girls, skirts needed to be at least knee length. For males, no shorts were to be worn etc.


3 posted on 04/08/2012 7:47:43 AM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: SmithL
I was standing in line at a fast food counter. In front of me was a young black teenager lounging on the counter with his pants below his hips, his lower regions covered by boxer shorts. When he saw me looking at him--I was trying not to stare or register any disapproval--he politely brought his pants to his waist and stood up straight. I thought it amusing--and endearing--that he was polite enough to do this.

Of course schools should insist on a dress code. And pants below underwear is a lousy style trend.

But on the other hand, teenagers rebel for a reason, and, in this case, it was encouraging to me to see this teenagers respect for his elders and for convention played out in his behavior.

4 posted on 04/08/2012 7:53:59 AM PDT by Savage Beast ("The future belongs to the fertile." -Allendale)
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To: SmithL
I was standing in line at a fast food counter. In front of me was a young black teenager lounging on the counter with his pants below his hips, his lower regions covered by boxer shorts. When he saw me looking at him--I was trying not to stare or register any disapproval--he politely brought his pants to his waist and stood up straight. I thought it amusing--and endearing--that he was polite enough to do this.

Of course schools should insist on a dress code. And pants below underwear is a lousy style trend.

But on the other hand, teenagers rebel for a reason, and, in this case, it was encouraging to me to see this teenagers respect for his elders and for convention played out in his behavior.

5 posted on 04/08/2012 7:54:00 AM PDT by Savage Beast ("The future belongs to the fertile." -Allendale)
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To: SmithL
After making the above post, I wondered why I had. I think the reason is this:

At a time when evil forces are fanning the flames of racial divide, it is important for us to focus on all that unite us as people.

Another anecdote occurred to me:

On our high school class trip to New York, some of us boys went wild in the hotel and wrote all over the walls and doors of our floor with white chalk.

The cleaning woman--a black lady--hit the ceiling! She chastised us, wagging her finger, and told us to clean it up.

I was the ringleader. I spoke politely to her--was careful to say "Yes Ma'am," and did as she said. We began cleaning up the mess.

At which she complimented me and said: "You can tell children from nice families. Now you boys know better than to do this."

We all replied "Yes Ma'am," and cleaned it all up.

My grandmother, who was raised in the South, always insisted that we say "Yes Ma'am" to our elders, regardless of race or anything else.

BTW: in France, if you want good treatment in the hotel, such as extra towels, address the cleaning woman as "Madame".

In Germany, say "Gnädige Frau."

6 posted on 04/08/2012 8:07:45 AM PDT by Savage Beast ("The future belongs to the fertile." -Allendale)
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To: SmithL
After making the above post, I wondered why I had. I think the reason is this:

At a time when evil forces are fanning the flames of racial divide, it is important for us to focus on all that unite us as people.

Another anecdote occurred to me:

On our high school class trip to New York, some of us boys went wild in the hotel and wrote all over the walls and doors of our floor with white chalk.

The cleaning woman--a black lady--hit the ceiling! She chastised us, wagging her finger, and told us to clean it up.

I was the ringleader. I spoke politely to her--was careful to say "Yes Ma'am," and did as she said. We began cleaning up the mess.

At which she complimented me and said: "You can tell children from nice families. Now you boys know better than to do this."

We all replied "Yes Ma'am," and cleaned it all up.

My grandmother, who was raised in the South, always insisted that we say "Yes Ma'am" to our elders, regardless of race or anything else.

BTW: in France, if you want good treatment in the hotel, such as extra towels, address the cleaning woman as "Madame".

In Germany, say "Gnädige Frau."

7 posted on 04/08/2012 8:07:45 AM PDT by Savage Beast ("The future belongs to the fertile." -Allendale)
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To: SmithL

Officials should ban any & every facet of THE culture that is destroying America.


8 posted on 04/08/2012 8:10:40 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: cripplecreek
We had a dress code when I was in school.

And common sense, and morality, and responsible parents, and good teachers, and no racism.

9 posted on 04/08/2012 8:16:02 AM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lame and ill-informed post)
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To: UCANSEE2

When the class of 1980 had t-shirts made up that said “Kick ass class” they had to turn them inside out.


10 posted on 04/08/2012 8:18:43 AM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: SmithL

How did I know Wendi Thomas was black?


11 posted on 04/08/2012 8:26:17 AM PDT by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like it)
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To: cripplecreek

When I went, no jeans of any kind, girls skirts at knne lenght or below, no “tight” sweaters for girls (that pretty much sucked”, no sneekers except in gym class, no more then one button undone on shirt or blouse amd after a warning boys would be sent home if their hair was to long. DA’s were allowed but the hair had to be properly combed.

Now you have an idea of my age. This was a public school.


12 posted on 04/08/2012 8:36:07 AM PDT by getgo
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To: oh8eleven
Officials should ban any & every facet of THE culture that is destroying America.

Amen. The lax dress code can now be seen in the workplace...flip-flops, bare feet, shorts, really low cut blouses on overweight women, jeans, etc...

13 posted on 04/08/2012 8:46:01 AM PDT by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
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To: getgo

Ahh yes, I remember those days...good times...good times :-)


14 posted on 04/08/2012 8:46:59 AM PDT by Conservative4Ever (Waiting for the new tagline to download)
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To: SmithL
Legislators are not elected to be the fashion police, particularly when the style is likely a passing fad.

This "fad" has been going twenty years.

15 posted on 04/08/2012 8:49:05 AM PDT by newzjunkey (Newt says, "A nominee that depresses turnout won't beat Barack Obama.")
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To: SmithL

I wish they ALL wore baggy pants so low, they had to use both hands to hold them up. Can’t grab a gun before you can.


16 posted on 04/08/2012 8:52:08 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: who knows what evil?
The lax dress code can now be seen ...
... anywhere in America including church; on any day, even holidays.
We've become a nation of irresponsible slobs.
17 posted on 04/08/2012 8:52:34 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: oh8eleven
We've become a nation of irresponsible slobs.

You nailed it.

18 posted on 04/08/2012 8:53:49 AM PDT by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
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To: who knows what evil?
really low cut blouses on overweight women
So you're not against low cut blouses but you want to designate who wears them?
--- and baggie pants have been around since the 40's sans the boxers. Ducktails and butt cracks were the fad.
19 posted on 04/08/2012 8:58:12 AM PDT by TexasSecede79366
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To: SmithL

Logical as is it to wear clothing correctly, this is NOT the business of the state. An enforced school district dress code would address this at the correct level.


20 posted on 04/08/2012 8:59:04 AM PDT by DesertSapper (ANY GOP candidate is better than 4 more years of 0bama!)
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