What's with these uneducated educators?

[highlander_Daz]

"Good day to you sir and Greetings from Bonnie Scotland.

I was concerned to hear that you recently held a dance where a young man of Scots descent was not allowed to wear the Kilt, As you know the Kilt is the national dress of scotland and is worn on formal occasions by Scots and by people of Scots descent, or anyone else with an interest in celtic culture. As this was a formal dance the young man in question was honouring his Scots ancesters by wearing the Kilt.

As a fellow teacher I feel it is my job to encourage young people to explore the past and learn from it, After the 1745 battle of Culloden and the ensuing massacre, the wearing of Tartan, and the Kilt was banned by the British, this was a dark time in British history and we have since learned to live in peace with our English neighbors, and learned that banning symbols of peoples culture is wrong.

I suggest you get on the net and do some reseacrch into Scots history and the Highland clearances, as you have a Scots surname your self you may find out about your own familys history.

Its NOT just about stopping a young man wearing an item of clothing, the Kilt is more than that, it repersents this young mans heritage and the heritage of some of the greatest and bravest men in history, Scots made a massive contribution to the founding of Modern America, and Canada.

Please take this opportunity to show these young people that Heritage is there to be treasured and not to be forgotten. "

I sent this earlier on to the principal.

[Alan H]

My message:

I'm having a hard time believing what I'm reading. A student was expelled form a school dance for wearing a kilt?

You'd probably allow crop tops, pierced navels, pierced anything on the face and Lord knows what else, but for a kilt....for hundreds of years the garment of choice for men of Scottish heritage, the boy gets tossed from a dance?

And the principal of the school has a SCOTTISH SURNAME with a many hundred-year old history behind it?

This is nuts.... NUTS. Whacko... Looney.... Bonkers.

Alan Hebert
proud member of the Clan MacNaughton Association

[Big Paul]

That guy makes me sick.... I'm just shaking... I don't dare call him as many have done, because I'm affraid of what will come out of my mouth..

He obviously already has a dim view of kilts, I don't need to ad fuel to his fire... Beside, many of you have already said what's need to be said in a calm manner..

[herminator]

Since if it was a religious garment they would allow it, let's start a branch of Orthodoxy which requires kilts.

Who wants to join my church now?

Here!
I´m in as long as you tolerate double membership!

[caig]

I,too, was so incensed at the principal's action that I have emailed him. I called into question his own conduct as wellas the school dress code. Hopefully, the weight of these responses will make him look again at his attitude.

[Ugly Bear]

I can't help but feel that there's something missing from the story. Was this an actual kilt -- not just some plaid flannel fabric stitched together? There isn't a word on what he was wearing WITH the kilt. It might've been inappropriate or distasteful. Until I know for sure just how the young man was dressed, I'm holding my tongue. Is there an actual picture anywhere showing how he was dressed?

Even if he was dressed appropriately, I'm inclined to cut his principal some slack. As a public servant, he's not allowed to use his judgement in any way. He's got a few complaints because he barred the guy from a dance. Chances are he'd have more complaints from scandalized parents if he'd let him in. There's just no way to win.

That doesn't mean that the principal's right, though. It's just that the issue isn't his education, nor his intelligence.

Meanwhile, the Warmack family tells me they're planning on going to the school board to change the school policy and they hope Nathan can wear a kilt to the next big dance - his senior prom.

This sounds sensible. Better to set a precedent at some random school dance before the Real Deal. Once the board gets used to the idea of a kilt, there'd be no way they could say "no" to a guy in a kilt with Prince Charlie jacket. (No way his date could say "no" to him either, I'm guessing.)

[Sherry]

As younger people than I would say, "You guys rock!"

I would just love to see the principal's reactions to the sheer number of letters & emails, especially the ones from beyond U.S. borders. He probably can't believe that the story has gone international!

News reports can drive you nuts with what they leave out. But it seems to me that the lad was appropriately dressed.

Going to the school board to work out an amiacable solution is a good first step. It sets an example of adults at least trying to work out their differences without going to Defcon 1 right off the bat. Besides, as a home schooler, I'm aware that very often just the threat of legal action will often bring the involved officials to their senses without actually having to go to the expense & hassle of going to court.

Keep kilting, gents. You're doing a great job.

Sherry

[AckZel]

Now he got mail from Finland too... Starting to get the "Conan O-Brien syndrome?"

[GMan]

Just curious, with all of us sending the poor chap e-mails, has anyone contacted the media to see what he is going to do?

Not being one who likes to pressure people, but sometimes it just has to be done!

[Archangel]

I can't help but feel that there's something missing from the story. Was this an actual kilt -- not just some plaid flannel fabric stitched together? There isn't a word on what he was wearing WITH the kilt. It might've been inappropriate or distasteful.

Yeah, I thought of that too, and looked for a picture, no luck. I left the principal that "out" in my email. However, the father, in the article, said that Nathan had researched and bought the family tartan so it looked like everything was traditional and within reason.