Wednesday, February 29, 2012

A few thoughts on Public school dress code- Letter to school district

Dear School Board Members,

 At my attendance last night, I was surprised to learn about a proposal Middle school Principal  brought before the school board with regards to a dress code so I thought I would share some thoughts.

 First, just because other schools have done it, is it right? Is it constitutional? Is this not a violation of one’s freedom of speech? I know from history, morality and religion are restrictions to this freedom and I support these restrictions, but when government makes laws, they are always re-active rather than proactive, quick to make people criminals, restricting the rights of others, instead of preserving the Rights and freedom for all, which was the original purpose of government.

 I realize that children’s conduct many times is less than acceptable. I also realize their dress is the same way, but we cannot continue to restrict the freedom of all children just for the sake of a few, that is what discipline is for, for those who need it, not for those who don’t. Is the job of disciplinarian, the school or the parents? Parents are to parent and the school is to educate.

 It also appeared that the principal had spent several hours on the internet researching what she would deem inappropriate, was this time and will future time be spent at the expense of the tax payers?

Who will spend the countless hours doing research on the internet to make sure no “Negative messages” get by? It could be and would be a full time job with tremendous power.

 When she states “Negative messages,” who defines the term and will this term be arbitrary and relative, subject to change according to the teacher or be clearly defined? She stated now that Tinkerbelle and dice will not be allowed at school because the gangs have used them. May I submit that wearing Levis and Dickies and Nike are also used by gang members therefore we shouldn’t wear them either? For me, shall owning classic Chevrolet’s that are commonly driven by gang members be off limits because I could be considered a member of a gang? Will bar and grill shirts or religious sayings also be at the discretion of one or many in the school board? If one is an atheist, one could consider religion “Negative”. Are the few to be punished to punish all, because a few decide to use anything negatively?

 The principal stated that kids like to dress for success, if this is true, why don’t they dress that way themselves without the school making a law?  Isn’t it after all the job of the parent and child to decide how to dress and not the school board’s decision or is the school now the parent… In parens patriae?

 Who will pay for this new dress code? Will this be one more time when the school will force the tax payer to pay for something they disagree with and if so, where does this power come from? If there are a few that disagree, are we then subject to the majority rule as a democracy or does our rule of law under our constitutional republic protect the rights of the few in opposition ?

 With all due respect, the clothing and the attitudes in school, the gang problems are not the problem, these are symptoms of the breakdown of the family, the lack of personal responsibility of parent and child and a basic degeneration of society caused, in part by the incessant use of tolerance and diversity by which people claim to be wonderful national traits, If this is true, what was meant when Aristotle stated” Tolerance is the last virtue of a dying society.” Isn’t the school’s implication of a dress code, contrary to its teaching, where it tends not to practice what it preaches?

 My solution to all problems is to locate the root cause. If we truly desire to fix something, it must begin there or the problems will still exist and the need for more laws will be necessary if you don’t. If you believe gang activity is the problem, go after the gangs, not make everyone else suffer at the hands of a few for when you do the freedom and liberty is in the hands of the oppressors.

 If we love our children and we honor freedom and integrity and desire to educate our children properly, we must teach them that discipline is for those that need it, that just because there are a few that cause trouble, it doesn’t mean that all have to suffer. If we label all for the sake of a few, what you define is socialistic social justice, where all actions and statements made are of equal value, where one is no better than the other, even if a crime was committed. Social justice has never nor will ever be reached because it is determined by the whims of man, subject to change rather than God’s Law where the foundation and origin of law is found, that never changes and ensures equal justice better than any law man could ever make.

 I respectfully submit this letter for consideration before the decision is made on the dress code.

 Respectfully,

 Tom Munds

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