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Can a Boy Wear a Skirt to School?

nytimes.com

1–10 of 24 posts

Re: Can a Boy Wear a Skirt to School?

#5
post #3
post #2

its a free country

its [sic] a free country ... but if you read the article, you'll see that it apparently isn't a free school system.

True, but he can wear it to school, maybe not in school.

That said, I really think schools have enough of a problem with kids teasing each other to go and invite more of that with cross-dressing pupils.

In plenty of countries they have school uniforms simply to reduce the friction between kids due to wealth differences between parents, a side effect is that there is much less teasing for not wearing the 'right' kind of branded clothing, jewelery and so on.

This kid is just basically demanding something that is not going to give him any real satisfaction, it's just going to cause a bunch more trouble so I think the school is probably right in their decision.

As for the road to school, that's his own problem, he can wear there whatever he wants, but it is quite ok with me if the school asks that their pupils do not engage in dressing up in such a way that it will cause trouble, I'm sure they have their hands full as it is.

Re: Can a Boy Wear a Skirt to School?

#6
The solution is eliminating the dress code entirely and setting up kids to believe there is a "right" and a "wrong" way to dress. Once crossdressing seems natural and acceptable, kid'll stop being immature about it. The more you try to say something's wrong, the most people you'll unintentionally hurt.

Re: Can a Boy Wear a Skirt to School?

#7
post #4

Sure, why not. Mind you, it is going to set him up for ridicule and he shouldn't complain about that (especially not if it is a tutu), but I don't see why not. Girls can wear pants to school, can't they ?

Thats fine until safety becomes a concern, at which point officials need to step in. We don't let kids do things that can harm them (to some degree anyway) and we need to keep a careful eye on the balance there...

Re: Can a Boy Wear a Skirt to School?

#8
post #5
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

its [sic] a free country ... but if you read the article, you'll see that it apparently isn't a free school system.

True, but he can wear it to school, maybe not in school. That said, I really think schools have enough of a problem with kids teasing each other to go and invite more of that with cross-dressing pupils. In plenty of countries they have school uniforms simply to reduce the friction between kids due to wealth differences between parents, a side effect is that there is much less teasing for not wearing the 'right' kind…

If everyone wears the same clothes, they'll just use something else as markers of identity (and wealth). Maybe the kind of mobile phone they have, jewelry, or some other minor detail where they're allowed some options.

If someone feels a need to bully someone, they'll find a way and a reason. The solution to the problem isn't to try to remove all the "reasons" for bullying, it's to do something about the bullies (sp?).

Re: Can a Boy Wear a Skirt to School?

#9
The reason that kids would bully male students that would wear dresses to school or female students that wear pants to school is precisely because the administration forbids it.

The administration forbidding it is just confirming in their minds that the behavior of these students is not normal and worthy of derision. In cases where those in authority do not treat it as out of order, the students are far less likely to bully the child.

Re: Can a Boy Wear a Skirt to School?

#10
post #8
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

True, but he can wear it to school, maybe not in school. That said, I really think schools have enough of a problem with kids teasing each other to go and invite more of that with cross-dressing pupils. In plenty of countries they have school uniforms simply to reduce the friction between kids due to wealth differences between parents, a side effect is that there is much less teasing for not wearing the 'right' kind…

If everyone wears the same clothes, they'll just use something else as markers of identity (and wealth). Maybe the kind of mobile phone they have, jewelry, or some other minor detail where they're allowed some options. If someone feels a need to bully someone, they'll find a way and a reason. The solution to the problem isn't to try to remove all the "reasons" for bullying, it's to do something about the bullies (sp?…

Most schools ban jewellery, and mobile phones are not allowed to be taken outside of a student's bag. You're arguing that every single student who wears less fashionable clothes and is bullied or singled out would've been bullied anyway, even if a uniform was made compulsory. My experience is that wouldn't be true in quite a few cases. There doesn't have to be a single golden bullet solution to bullying. Many small ideas put together can be very effective.
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