Scottish teen wears kilt to school dance, told to change

[quaoar]

Some kids would wear a kilt to school just to be a smart-ass. This isn't that kind of case. Granted, schools have to have some control over dress, but this is ridiculous.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/EDUCATION/12/22/student.kilt.ap/

JACKSON, Missouri (AP) -- Nathan Warmack wanted to honor his heritage by wearing a Scottish kilt to his high school dance. Then a principal told him to change into a pair of pants.

What began with a few yards of tartan has sparked an international debate about freedom, symbols and cultural dress. More than 1,600 people have signed an Internet petition seeking an apology for the high school senior.

Scots in the United States are assembling a traditional ensemble they hope the student will wear to the prom, and his family is trying to change the school's dress code policy.

"It's a kilt. It's going to turn heads, but I never believed it would have become what it is," Warmack said.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SmokingJacket]

2. Dang, if he had gone to my highschool...

I'd have had a megacrush on him. How cool is that?

[Clark2008]

57. Really!!

I'd have been kicked out of school for attempting to peek up his kilt. :evilgrin:

[YOY]

3. Rugged Individualism work best when we all Conform!!!

Buy an SUV!

Watch NASCAR!

Vote Republican!

Like all the other rugged individual Americans!

This school is going to piss off Roudy Roddy Piper and we've all seen the movie "They Live!"...

[quaoar]

9. Hey, I like NASCAR

I'll bet Dale Jr. would wear a kilt.

[YOY]

16. Yeah and some people on DU have SUVs too...

I just don't think it's the majority of us...could the same be said of FR? The same goes for NASCAR. and if you enjoy it then by all means have a blast...just don't expect me to understand where the thrill is coming from...looks like stock cars driving in a circle to me...

[gratuitous]

4. The school will soon find out . . .

Don't screw around with Scots. They are resourceful, vindictive little wolverines with long memories and terrible patience.

[Cha]

8. I've got a lot of

Scot's blood in me :)

[Raster]

22. aye Laddie, "vindictive little wolverines" it is then, eh?

[gratuitous]

24. And I mean it in the nicest, most affectionate and respectful way

But you knew that, being the perceptive Scot you are, master of language and nuance.

Right? :scared:

[Raster]

61. Gawd, how I love that line. "vindictive little wolverines", indeed.

[hootinholler]

26. Nay, we're not wolverines.

Vindictive, yes, but prefer to think of it as fair play. Ask Hadrian.

-Hoot

[enlightenment]

25. Vindictive little wolverines?

What are you -- a Sassenach?
:evilgrin: :crazy:

[Johnyawl]

33. Thank You , Gratuitous,

I appreciate the compliment!

:evilgrin:

My son wore a formal kilt to his High School Senior Prom last year, to the appreciation of much of the girls, and no hassle from the officials. But then he's worn his kilts to school regularly for the last 3 years. He has a utility kilt, and a leather kilt, but for his prom he rented a Black Watch kilt. (the shop didn't have the MacLeod tartan).

[Clark2008]

58. But, if your profile is correct, you're in Seattle, which is

a long, long way from the stodginess of Mississippi.

What's ironic, however, is that there are more Scotch-Irish in the South than in most of the rest of the country. They should have been proud of this heritage. I bet if he'd worn a Rebel Flag tuxedo, it'd been OK. :eyes:

(And I'm in Tennessee, so I can say that without impunity. It's just some of the school officials in the South are the most backward of the entire population, which is sad.)

[troubleinwinter]

37. Aye.

Four years ago, my Scottish clan joined with another clan to formally put to rest an ancient grudge (with the raising of a few drams of scotch) going back to the early sixth century. A grudge held for 1500 years.

A year later we met with the descendants of a land tenant (a miller) who was wrongly accused and abandoned to starve in the castle prison by the Clan Chief/Laird in the 1100s, and made apologies to the miller's family.... and, of course, shared a few drams.

(Single malt, of course.)

[haydukelives]

5. When did we pass into bazarro world?

[Beam Me Up]

56. When a soap salesman was elected president in 1980.

It was bad enough he'd become a governor before that.

I said then we'd gone through the looking glass. Now, we're totally down the rabbit hole.

[Sequoia]

6. I'd like to see the Scots who march in the St. Patrick's parade

in New York to just march over to that school with their kilts and bagpipes.

[savemefromdumbya]

7. my cousin wears a kilt every day

but lives in Scotland

[wakeme2008]

10. And he did right

"He bought a kilt off the Internet to wear to his school's formal "Silver Arrow" dance in November. Warmack said he showed it to a vice principal before the dance, who joked he'd better wear something underneath it, and Warmack assured him he would."

Me thinks the Principal needs to go back to school himself.

[quaoar]

11. AOL has a poll up about this

Should schools allow boys to wear kilts?
Yes 84%
No 16%
Total Votes: 51,718

[LostinVA]

12. My nephew wears one every Friday

He asked his principal and she gave permission. He just has to wear shorts under it and can't wear his Sgain dubh.

The girls love it!

[quaoar]

14. OK

What's a Sgain dubh?

[LostinVA]

17. Sorry! It's the little black knife worn in the hose

Zero weapons tolerance in school. And, the blade is very sharp, so it is indeed a weapon.

[madeline_con]

19. We both posted at the same time. LOL! n/t

[hootinholler]

29. It's the knife left to defend yourself when you surrender your Dirk

At the Laird's manor. It was allowed because the blade is short. Many were razor sharp balanced throwing weapons. It's usually worn in the sock, handle exposed, and held in place by the garter.

Pronounced skeen du.

-Hoot

[troubleinwinter]

39. Permitted, because it was

the tool to use as we use "silverware". It was the tool to use for eating the meal... to cut, pierce, and bring it to the mouth.

[madeline_con]

18. It's a dagger they wear in the belt.

Isn't there a group of Euro/Asians who does that? Even the little kids have a dagger in their belts.

[htuttle]

36. In Eurasia...

...you're probably thinking of Sikhs. They wear a dagger (often just a tiny one on their keychains nowdays), as one of the symbols of Sikhism. It has something to do with being willing to 'fight for justice' at any time, IIRC.

[madeline_con]

20. FYI, I found this...

The word Sgian Dubh comes from the Gaelic meaning ‘dark knife’. The highlanders adopted this small weapon after the Highland Dress Proscription Act, which came into effect after the battle of Culloden.

http://www.scotclans.com/story/sgain_dubh.html

I learned something new today! :bounce:

[LostinVA]

32. "Black knife" is what my Gaelic tutorial says

Same thing, just being contrarian!

[shenmue]

13. People have nothing better to worry about

:sarcasm:

:eyes:

If they think it's "inappropriate" or something--try reading a book about Scottish heritage sometime... or go over to Scotland and tell one of those big guys in a kilt that you think he looks funny...

I'll send you flowers in the hospital. ;)

[theHandpuppet]

50. Better yet...

Give that principal a front row seat at a caber toss and then let him tell THOSE guys they look like clowns!

[RobinA]

60. My Thoughts Exactly

Don't they have any REAL problems in that school?

[bikebloke]

15. Witnessed in Scotland

A bunch of american college boys were laughing and joking about some blokes in kilts. A friend of my father went over to the boys and told them the blokes in kilts were part of the Scottish pugilist team. That wiped the smirks off their faces.

[htuttle]

21. If yer gonna pick on a wee lad in a kilt, pick on Willy!

...you croquet-playing mitt-munchers!

[hootinholler]

23. Nemo Me Impune Lacessit

"If you smack me, expect to be smacked back hard," to paraphrase.

"To say the traditional Scottish dress makes you look like a clown is a direct insult to people of Scottish heritage and those who live in Scotland," said Tom Wilson, a Texas commissioner for the Clan Gunn Society of North American, a Scottish heritage organization.

These people have no idea of the genetic propensity to freedom with which they F around with.

-Hoot

[TlalocW]

27. I knew it...

It's not the gays that are ruining America; it's the Scots! :)

They just need to take their leprechauns and go home to Africa!

TlalocW

[mainegreen]

30. You getting your celts mixed up. Thats the Irish with there wee people! nt

[Initech]

28. Wow, I hope there arent any more Scottish people in that school!

Because they could get a class-action going!

[zbdent]

31. I would be honored if I was presented with a kilt

now, a thong and pasties would be ridiculous . . . hmm, maybe not, if I check with Mrs. ZBDent . . .

[karlrschneider]

34. Link to the petition, 7,300 sigs now

http://www.petitiononline.com/kilt05/

[quaoar]

40. Just checked it

It's up to 8,693.

[hyphenate]

46. It's at 9281 now

and from a Scittish background here as well. Clan Ranald joins the other clans in hoping that the kid gets to wear the dress of his native heritage!!

[AspenRose]

35. Once again, ignorance rears its ugly head

Let the kid wear his kilt.

And this is for you, C. Mackenzie, my favorite Scotsman (next to my husband), wherever you are :toast:

[troubleinwinter]

38. Kilts are the ultimate of formal wear. Prince Charles wears them

on many formal occasions.

They have been worn into battle for many hundreds of years. The Queen's guard wears them.

They are the ultimate attire of finely dressed men.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

41. Don't see a problem with kilts.

So long as the wearer wears some sort of shorts under them.

[Ian David]

42. 9,114 Total Signatures so far. SIGN HERE!

http://www.petitiononline.com/kilt05/


While this petition began as a Clan Gunn petition, there have been inquiries from members of other clans. We, therefore, invite members of other clans as well as anyone who is interested in supporting their Scottish heritage, or the rights of others to celebrate their Scottish heritage to join in support of Nathan Warmack by signing this petition. Further, Clan Gunn is proud to sponsor a drive for item donations to complete his Kilt ensemble. We wish for him to wear his kilt with the PRIDE OF THE SCOTS behind him! For information, please contact the author of this petition. To make donations to the NATHAN WARMACK LEGAL FUND, P.O. BOX 833127, RICHARDSON, TX 75083. Please send checks, money orders or cashiers checks only, please. This petition will remain live until there is a resolution to this issue. Thank you for your support! Jackson R2 School Board Meeting scheduled, for information, please contact author of this petition.

To: THE CASH-BOOK JOURNAL

Letter to the Editor

We, the following, are proud members of Clan Gunn, of North America and Scotland. We were absolutely stunned and appalled to hear about Mr. McClard's decision as Principal of Jackson High School to require Nathan Warmack, a student at the school, to change clothes or be evicted from the “Silver Arrow” dance because he was wearing a kilt.

We could better understand his decision had he worn it to attend class, but a school DANCE? We could even understand his decision had he been wearing a tee shirt touting drugs, alcohol, smoking, hate propaganda, or porn OR if he had been exposing himself in some lewd manner. ...But because it was a "distraction" at a school dance? From what? From the intense concentration it takes to dance?

These politically correct times in which we live require us to
accept many "alternative" attitudes. They are shoved down our
throats daily. We have to accept Ebonics, gender-sensitive language
and behavior, alternative lifestyles, and reverse discrimination to
name just a few. We are EXPECTED to show tolerance for everyone who
chooses "break the mold." We would lay odds that Mr. McClard has dealt with
just such issues many times as a principal of a high school.

Yet, Mr. McClard finds it inappropriate for a young man to show pride in his
Scottish heritage by wearing a kilt? Mr. McClard insults his heritage by
insinuating that he looked like a clown?

How could an educated person, who is in charge of educating our youth, not see the amazing educational opportunity provided by that
young man? Nathan's pride in his familial heritage COULD have opened the
doors to discussions regarding other children's heritages,
geography, and cultural traditions. It COULD have been a very
positive situation had Mr. McClard shown the insight to turn it into a
learning moment rather than a media event.

How could a person who works with kids on a daily basis not see the
importance of self-esteem and the courage it takes young people to
show pride in their families' heritages? We cannot fathom Mr. McClard's decision, and it angers us that while we are barraged by PC expectations from every possible single-issue group out there, that he would choose to diminish the Scottish tradition of the kilt in such a really unnecessary context; a school dance.

There is something to be said for choosing one's battles wisely.
This is not an example of a wise choice in that regard. Making an
issue out of this particular situation shows incredible short-
sightedness on Mr. McClard's part as an educator on so many levels.

We truly hope Mr. McClard finds the courage to apologize to Nathan Warmack. He deserves an apology.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Click Here to Sign!
http://www.petitiononline.com/kilt05/

[greblc]

43. The Scottish Regulars a Canadian Military unit...

wears kilts as a dress uniform. A group of them attended a Marine Corps Ball I went to. I personally appreciate the history behind traditional dress. The Canucks had a hard time looking tough in a room full of Marines in Dress uniforms. Some Marines had uniform Mameluke and NCO swords , so the dagger in the sock just seemed a little ... umm girlie.

I am part Scottish and wearing a kilt commando style does have some appeal. Though wool can be itchy.

[TheBaldyMan]

44. That is outrageous

God help Principal McClard if this gets printed in the scottish press.

[AnnieBW]

45. Was He Regimental?

I'll bet all of the girls were sitting around waiting for a stiff breeze... ;)

[KitchenWitch]

48. I believe he was not

He had talked to someone else on the faculty who approved it as long as he wore underwear or shorts underneath.

[LostinVA]

59. Correct -- he had to wear shorts

As my nephew must when he wears his kilt to school.

[WearyOne]

47. how pathetic is that ?

[NMMNG]

49. OMG, if we allow boys to wear kilts they will turn gay!

What kind of crazed morons have school officials become? :eyes:

[theHandpuppet]

51. Speaking of all things Scottish

DU's Scottish Forum is like an echo chamber! How about some of you folks dropping by for a dram? :smoke:

[TheBaldyMan]

62. sry I haven't posted - and I'm scottish! n/t

[LWolf]

52. WTF?

I'm old enough to remember the battles to allow girls to wear pants to school. Through 6th grade, I could only wear pants on Fridays.

It sounds like the battle needs to be refought for the boys. But truly, I've worked in public ed for 23 years, and can't imagine anyone during that time objecting to a kilt.

Unless, of course, he dresses traditionally beneath the kilt. :evilgrin:

[jmowreader]

53. Nae, lads and lassies, I think I've figured out the problem here

The main problem is that the principal's a dumbass. But we knew that already.

Okay, there are three possible scenarios that would have brought this on...

1) The principal didn't realize it's a kilt. The kilt may be the ultimate in men's formal wear, but if you don't know what it is, it looks just like a plaid skirt. Of course, if you let the linebackers on the football team into the dance wearing skirts, next thing you know the whole male student body will come to class wearing dresses and nail polish, and Fred Phelps will be picketing the school come Monday morning.

2) The principal knew it was a kilt but wanted to avoid the possibility that the wearer would get "picked on" by his classmates and retaliate by starting a fight. A plausible scenario if some kid that weighed a hundred pounds showed up in one, but no one is going to fuck with a football player.

3) The principal knew it was a kilt...and he also knew that if there's a kilt in the building, a bagpiper can't be far behind.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

54. FYI - The high school marching bank in Glasgow, KY all wear

kilts (or they did just a few years ago, I haven't seen them march in about five years). Their mascot is a Scotty and many moons ago when I was in high school those kids - including the boys - was a damn fine band that didn't hesitate to strut their stuff in full regalia. And this was in the middle of red neck heaven.

Reminds me of the horrors that principals would conjure up back in the day when boys would wear their hair down to their eyebrows. Not all over their head but just their bangs. The school board and the parents was just positive this was going to lead to rampant criminal behavior (those awful boys from England was just trouble with a capital T) and the guys were expelled until they got their hair cut. Expelled!

The principal has now found his little tempest in a teapot is a full blown Katrina. When are school authorities going to learn to pick their battles?

[Bombero1956]

55. I fully support his right to wear his kilt

While I am not of Scottish heritage, I have long admired the Scottish people. Recently my son began playing with a Scottish pipe band. He looks very nice in his kilt. He let me try on his kilt and my wife said it didn't look good on me at all, oh well some people can pull it off, some can't. Now we have a half Puerto Rican, half Dutch kid wearing kilts. This picture is of my son Jason at a recent Highland games event.

[Dunvegan]

63. Scotsman.com is carrying the story...

...matter of fact, it's the number two hit on Google for the search "McClard."

http://heritage.scotsman.com/traditions.cfm?id=2355512005

McClard is a spelling variation of my husband's family clan, the MacLeods.

Maybe we should take care of this unprincipled principal as "family business.":sarcasm: