Forbidden to wear a kilt for Nostalgia Day

**Alan H** · 10th October 06, 08:55 PM

I've been TEACHING High School as a substitute teacher here in the San Francisco Bay Area for several weeks. NOT ONE administrator has given me grief, and ninety-nine percent of the interactions with the students are positive. The cultural message that's sent and learned is invaluable.

I'd respectfully assure the principal (and the clueless VP) over the telephone that no indecent exposure will take place. If they don't buy it, then Miz Kizmet, I'd walk on down there and talk to them face-to-face about it. If bringing along Mystic Wolf makes sense, then do so.

If the answer is still "no", then if the boys are up for it...and after all it's THEIR call, not ours here at X-Marks, then they might go to a dance with some reprints of Nathan Marmack's story in their sporrans.

IMPORTANT POINT: this is *THEIR* battle if they choose to make it so. It is THEIR choice how they want to pursue this, or even if they want to at all. All us raving adults online are not *there* in their school.

**Kizmet** · 10th October 06, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by Alan H

IMPORTANT POINT: this is *THEIR* battle if they choose to make it so. It is THEIR choice how they want to pursue this, or even if they want to at all. All us raving adults online are not *there* in their school.

As the situation stands right now:

D'Argo wants me to get up and call the school before he leaves and ask for permission to wear the kilt. I'm fine with that.

But the real point of all of this is down the road, these young men want to go to their prom in kilts (in three years). In order to achieve that goal, it may be best to simply wear down the administration with good behavior and repeated respectful requests that may include a kilted visit to the school board. This isn't a hill to die on. Prom is.

I hope that Ryjel's mother's call and mine might educate :rolleyes: the VP for a positive response in the future.

**Kilted KT** · 10th October 06, 09:11 PM

once the e-mail is posted...I'll definitly lend a hand in making the VP understand that there are a great many people who are offended that he thinks the kilts is not a historically significant garment.

Not only will he have Xmarkers from around the world e-mailing him, but I'll put out a selected call to other kilties on Myspace who would agree with us.

**neo71665** · 10th October 06, 09:17 PM

I agree it is "their" problem more than ours. That is why I posted that link and suggested the e-petion as it worked in that case. I think that would be the best way to settle it, alot better than angry emails or phone calls from a few hundred people. But I think printing that story out and letting the dumbassed VP read it just might prove enough of a point. Also as KT said, there are many on myspace that will be more than happy to sign it. I'll post a link on myspace for people to sign as well as the many boards that I'm a member of if you decide to take that route.

**Kilted KT** · 10th October 06, 09:38 PM

as an aside, and not to poke fun, but does this qualify us a minority?

**Alan H** · 10th October 06, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by Kizmet

......that may include a kilted visit to the school board.

If it comes to that, then dress the two gents up spic-and-span and let them have their say to the Board in a respectful, but straightforward manner. If the Board says "no", then 1.) they're dumber than I thought possible, and 2.) Oh my GOODNESS when that gets out, it's going to be *Very* interesting around your town! ;)

**The Wizard of BC** · 11th October 06, 12:05 AM

Kizmet, If I may add a short note to this discussion.

I am not adovcating any course of action for the boys, that is their decission, and yours.

I would make a small suggestion though. One mistake Nathan Warmak made was to wear his kilt as he would on the street casually. He wore it with runners, and a t-shirt. No hose, no belt, no sporran, no dress shirt, no jacket. And this to a prom where most other attendees were probably dressed to the nines.

If your boys attend kilted, please ask them to dress for the occasion. Dress to show their pride in the kilt. If they have appropiate accessories, please wear them.

Please insure their appearance is neat and tidy, their demeanor respectful and mature.

And then if they incounter the "powers that be" they can always respond with the faithful, "But Sir, this manner of dress is ETHNIC!"

Let's see him respond to that little bit of political correctness.

**Robin** · 11th October 06, 02:51 AM

I hope this will be solved, otherwise...the VP has to face an angry XMarks rabble.

**Heath** · 11th October 06, 04:12 AM

perhaps another idea.....have one of the more educated and eloquent speaking (writing) x-markers here, write an essay of sorts on the historical qualities of the kilt with references to plenty of written material as well as examples. then, in turn, make that essay into a sort of petition. just include a multi-page support list with names of people on this board and other kilt related boards as a sort of "united we stand" statement. better yet, have the boys do this. not only would it give them much pride to have accomplished something like this for themselves and others coming up in the grades behind them, they will learn a lot about Scot culture and their ancestors.

**Kizmet** · 11th October 06, 04:29 AM

I've just spoken with the VP.

He described the day's attire as being from the 1950's-1970's, therefore, the Braveheart look is inappropriate.*

We discussed his reasons, and he gave the one that I agreed with: other teenage boys will probably not be able to resist the temptations to inappropriate behavior during the school day. (AKA - my son may get suspended from school for reacting to a kilt check by pounding some fool into a pulp. This was not an anticipated problem when I paid for all those karate lessons.)

Since the ultimate goal is Prom and the VP insists that this is the decision of the school board, a pair of finely-turned out young men will be attending a school board meeting in the future. If you've seen Prestor John's eldest son's wedding photos, you know how good Ryjel can look.

In the meantime, I will ask the Xmarkers for links to sites concerning previous events where young men wanted to wear kilts to proms and ultimately prevailed. I've seen two in this thread, but perhaps someone would kindly point out the petition that thousands signed? I would also appreciate any essays that Xmarkers or others have written about kilts. We will go in prepared.

We will also go with as many kilted gents as we can.

Thanks everyone!
Kizmet

*D'Argo is wearing his Jedi robe to school, being nostalgic for the days when the original Star Wars series was being produced. He predicts that several students are going to be told to change their clothes.