The proposals recently presented to the Fayette County Board of Education by the Safety Task Force are so misguided and pompous, they should be laughable. However, the gravity inherent in the current path tread by this county is no laughing matter.

It is insidious, is it not, how intolerance creeps up on a community? One would think that society would learn from lessons of history, many within the last few decades, but the power of denial and the desperate, reactionary determination born of fear tend to blur the vision of some.

From the pulpits of politicians and preachers to local town meetings, frantic, frightened people are readily handing away their civil rights, demanding Band-Aid solutions from dress codes and metal detectors to enforced religious belief.

This national hysteria is understandable but more frightening in its implications than the problem itself. As native Bostonians, we were raised with a particular awareness of the sacrifice and courage that won this country's freedom. We are thus amazed at the extent to which people are willing to trade that freedom away in a futile attempt to control a problem which, frankly, goes much deeper than choice of clothing.

Consider the proposed “trenchcoat ban.” Trenchcoats, in and of themselves, are no more unsafe than most clothing, and considerably less so than three-inch spiked pumps. Until a few months ago, they were de rigeur uniform of millions of business people, government officials and other law-abiding citizens.

Last April, two seriously disturbed teenagers who happened to favor trenchcoats over down ski jackets committed a terrible crime against society, and suddenly their choice of apparel is considered evil. Immediately, many schools attempted to ban trenchcoats as if they were the source and symbol of disturbed people everywhere, and challenges to civil rights have necessarily followed.

If only criminal psychology were that simple. Following the trenchcoat ban line of logic, perhaps bald heads should be banned, since they evoke images of Nazi skin-heads. Perhaps we can get a ban, now, on the Confederate flag, since that image, too, has been the symbol of the most famous “gang” of white-sheeted racists in America.

Well, such bans are not that easy. It has long been upheld by our legal system that students do not leave their civil rights at the front door of the school. Although rights may be limited, there must be due cause. In the case of “disruptive” clothing, schools are obligated to show a “substantial” disruption and cannot unduly ban clothing simply due to the anxiety or disapproval of a few students or administrators.

For this reason, trenchcoat bans have already been successfully challenged in other states. Why waste the time and money of taxpayers in Fayette County with a self-righteous and groundless attempt to ban an article of clothing that holds no danger? An inanimate object such as a trenchcoat only has as much power as people give it.

Just as trenchcoats are not the problem, neither are untucked shirts or unbelted pants. An exposed rear end may be inappropriate for school, but a loose shirt or lack of belt on otherwise well-fitting pants is neither inappropriate nor objectionable, except, perhaps, to those enrolled in the Miss Manners' School of Fashion Don'ts.

What short memories many adults have! How many of us grew up to be ethical adults despite bell-bottomed hip huggers and tie-dyed halter tops? Our parents must have worried about our moral decay as well, but for the great majority, it was unfounded. We outgrew the fads, and our children will, too.

What is most frightening, to me, is the growing trend to blame some thing for what is a very complex problem in society, and then do handsprings trying in vain to control that thing. Not only are these attempts usually futile, they often do more harm than good.

Untucked shirts are not the problem. Trenchcoats are not the problem. Even non-theism is not the problem. Last week's violence right here in Atlanta by a “respectfully dressed,” Christian, Caravan-driving family man should be a perfect example that the anger and violence in our society transcends religion, age groups, race, economic class and especially, style of dress. The roots of the problem are much deeper.

So much of the violence, we believe, is caused by feelings of isolation and intolerance. Ironically, many of the “solutions” being bandied about only increase those feelings. To some, a dress code may be a non-solution, but, it does no harm. We strongly disagree. Could we, in this family, be the only ones who are bothered by the ominous statement, “You will be treated as you are dressed?”

This statement brings to mind several thoughts. First, there is the obvious contradiction between concern for kids killing each other over clothing and then valuing the clothing over the person. Bizarre.

Secondly, the statement itself comes across as arrogant and condescending, particularly to those of us trying to live on one modest income for the betterment of our children. We patch pants and wear hand-me-downs out of necessity. We don't waste money on adornments like belts unless our pants are falling down.

Are those of us who shop at thrift stores now worth less than the Talbot's- and J. Crew-clad of the community? Hello, this is public school, not the Academy of the Rich and Faceless isn't it?

The third point, all kidding aside, is most serious: this statement teaches children the value of superficiality, which is the precursor to prejudice. It teaches that a person is judged less by his intelligence or the content of her character than by the “wrapping.” That is not only sad, it's scary. By this standard, Gandhi would have been ignored, but John Gotti would've been shown all the respect due his attire. A monkey in an Armani suit is still a monkey.

We cannot support a concept that would teach our children to close their eyes and ears to those who are “unacceptable” in appearance - at least in the opinion of the Fayette County Board of Education. Dress codes may be all the fad, but they are purely aesthetic, born primarily of irrational fear and have no place in our public school system.

Strict dress codes take away our rights as parents to decide what kind of dress we find acceptable on our children. It stigmatizes all of us unnecessarily for not living up to (whose?) standards. It punishes the innocent, the body-conscious, the expressive, the fumble-fingered or financially strapped. Worse yet, it feeds on unreasonable fears and seeks to suppress any beliefs or tastes outside the norm, sending the ominous message that “different is dangerous.”

Fayette County, different is not dangerous. Fear and intolerance of difference is far more dangerous.

The different have made this country strong. “Different” is the foundation upon which our three branches of government and multiparty system is based. Our ability to be ourselves, as long as we don't harm another, and to be treated equally under the law despite our differences, is the cornerstone of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Intolerance of differences, on the other hand, is tyranny or communism.

Unfortunately, there are no easy answers and no guarantees that violence won't touch us or our children. We can't lock it out and we can't legislate it out. There is something we can all do, however, and it isn't quick or easy: we can try to teach our children, by example, that they are more important than money, cars or monumental houses; that people should be judged by what's inside and not what's outside; and that those of us who are different in our beliefs or appearances are no threat, should not be feared, and should be recognized and accepted as worthwhile in our community.

Children need to be exposed to different ideas, so they learn not to react in violence or anger born of fear. This very important concept should be demonstrated by the superintendent and board of education. They have an opportunity to reject superficial values, and to set an example that those who may be outside the norm in whatever way are part of this community and public school system. They can formally recognize that true character has nothing to do with clothing any more than it has to do with skin color, economic class, religion or lack thereof.

We urge other citizens and the board of education to take a stand against turning schools into armed camps, teaching skewed values and homogenizing our children into beings who dare not think, dress or believe anything independently.

Respect for differences will do more to promote a safe society in the long run than all the metal detectors and school dress codes ever will. In the words of famous author Katharine Anne Porter, “Love must be learned, and learned again and again; hate needs no instruction but waits only to be provoked.”

Different is not dangerous. This atmosphere of intolerance, hatred and ignorance is.

Meg and John Harris
Ryan, Danika, Duncan and Alexander Harris
defiantbostonian@juno.com

Back to Opinion Page | Back to the top of the page