Out of the mouths of babes
I found this schoolchildren’s blog via DMN. Jazmine writes in her Not Fair post:
Today I was sent home because I supposedly didn’t have the right uniform on.My uniform was correct. That’s not fair!!!!!!!! DISD schools don’t care if you learn, they worry about how you look. One of my teachers told I look like I’m going to the club. I had on a pair of shoes that were plaid, and some brown socks.
I looked up the DISD uniform guidelines and Jazmine seems to have been compliant. I think that a teacher telling an elementary aged student that she looks like she’s going clubbing is beyond ridiculous. Besides, aren’t kneesocks and flats made for little girls? And, even if they were outside of guidelines, are knee socks and flats worth sending a child home from school anyway?
It’s great that Jazmine has the blog as an emotional outlet and what appears to be responsible mentors in her After-School Academy. (Check out ASA director, Dr. Janet Morrison’s comment back to Jazmine for an example of that mentoring.)
No matter how hard some DISD teachers might work to leave her behind, thanks to people like Dr. Janet Morrison, I doubt she will be.
6 Responses to “Out of the mouths of babes”
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If that’s what females wear clubbing in the Dallas area, they must have some extremely boring nightclubs, LOL.
Certainly, it is absolutely inappropriate for a teacher to tell an elementary-school student that she looks like she’s dressed to go clubbing, since that is clearly suggesting that she’s dressed like a slut even though obviously that is not the case. That comment should therefore be addressed by school administration, and the teacher should be disciplined.
However, even if, arguendo, what young Jazmine was wearing did not fit the guidelines for color etc but was not inappropriate to the point of being distracting to other students (and I cannot even imagine that it was distracting to the point that it endangered the education or socialization of other students), they should have simply explained why it is unacceptable, and told her if she came to school dressed like that again, she would receive in-school discipline. A child should never be denied an education based upon what they are wearing, as long as it is in substantial compliance with guidelines.
Nevertheless, the school absolutely can set clothing guidelines and enforce those guidelines, and I certainly understand why they have them and why they are a good idea. That being said, they are always going to run into situations such as this, since their guidelines don’t address socks and are not very specific insofar as shoes. If it’s such a problem, all they need to do is update the guidelines for socks and shoes, as most school districts with a dress policy already do. Problem solved, and no child’s education is placed at risk due to the school district’s failure to be more specific about what is expected.
I’m curious what Jazmine’s parents have to say about this situation and how it was handled by the school.
Thanks for linking to Jazmine’s post. I think it’s important for others outside of our community to recognize what the kids and families in the urban areas often have to deal with. It’s things like this…things that are so petty…that perpetuate our community’s frustration and irritation at the schools.
elfninosmom~Jazmine’s mom did address the situation. Here is her post (on a blog we use for staff communication at our After-School Academy):
http://iamwhoweare.blogspot.com/2007/10/here-is-picture-of-jazmine-on-morning.html
She also made a comment on Jazmine’s post at
http://iamwhoweare.blogspot.com/2007/10/here-is-picture-of-jazmine-on-morning.html
Jazmine and her mom are not the only ones frustrated. Sylvia, another parent posted this on our staff blog:
http://iamwhoweare.blogspot.com/2007/11/child-ignored-in-disd-school-system.html
The great thing is that these two parents have begun stepping forward to challenge the school and it’s policies. They are also beginning to help other parents in the community understand how they, too, can get involved instead of feeling like they have to be a frustrated bystander.
Well, the nightclubs here are boring or maybe I’m old. ;o)
I’ve no clue what the child’s parents might think as the blog is run by the students during their after school program. But, as I mentioned in the post, Jazmine seems to have a fabulous role model in Dr. Morrison; perhaps she has discussed it with the parents.
Ok, I take back what I said about the child’s parents. One of her parents left a comment for me on Jazmine’s post.
This kid is going to have a great future no matter DISD’s successes or failures.
I obviously commented before I saw that a comment was awaiting approval.
Thanks for commenting, Dr. Morrison. I’ve long felt that public schools can be quite petty and it’s great to see parents taking on the administration for these types of offenses. I’m floored that a teacher told a 2nd grader that he’d end up in jail by grade 7. Why are these teachers still employed?
fyi…I’ve changed the settings so that you can now comment on the staff blog if you’d like.