I have no idea how to title this post.

[valarltd]

Obi-Wan Chrisobi is my 13 year old.
He's scary smart.
He's a whiz-bang French horn player.
He yearns to conquer the world.

And today he wore a tartan skirt to school and called it a kilt.
He found a white shirt, knee socks and borrowed Bun's black marching band shoes.
He looked very cute.

He said Principal C caught up with him by homeroom and informed him that he had to change for causing a distraction.
I did NOT get a phone-call. Then again, Principal C has BEEN on Activist Dyke Mom's bad side. He does not like it, so he took the path of least resistance.

Obi took off the kilt and wore the shorts he'd put on under it
His friends liked the kilt, and educated everyone that it was NOT a skirt.

Comments

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

How about: "Mom Pride" for a title.

At our High School, OTOH, various boys' teams have been known to come to school in e.g. matching pink skirts, before a game. This is apparently called a "psyche".

The Distant Future of Fandom thinks that at her Middle School a kilt-wearing boy might be asked to change because a kilt is "ceremonial wear", not regular school clothes. Boys have certainly worn full kilt rigs to the HS Prom, here -- but that's because they're from kilt-wearing families.

[mother2012.livejournal.com]

Yep; sounds like the kid has promise!

[gehayi.livejournal.com]

Why on earth did Obi do this?

[nbrooks.livejournal.com]

Kilts are *awesome*. Go Obi.

Oh, hey.. here's another Obi in a kilt to celebrate.

[kc-anathema.livejournal.com]

Wtf? I assume the kilt conformed to the school dress code in all regards, save for the gender of the kid wearing. The school has no business telling the kid he can't wear it. Down here we've got a kid in our school who wears an honest to God straight from Scotland kilt, with nearly full assemblage. It's nowhere near a distraction (nor are the guys who wear pink bows or carry each other down the hallway between bells).

[megleigh.livejournal.com]

hmm how is a kilt a distraction? *frowns*

I can't help but think of the scene from How the Grinch Stole Christmas: "It's not a skirt, it's a kilt! Sicko!"

[jlm121.livejournal.com]

you know obi has a special place in my heart as do all of your children. But there is something about him that speaks to me. Maybe I just want to make sure he knows how much I adore him so that when he does take over the world I don't end up on the wrong side of his skelton army.
I applaud his individualism and frankly his courage. Given the area you live in the fact that he wanted to and did speaks to his character (this didn't seem quite so cliche when it was in my head)
Give him my love. And maybe we can find him the kilt of his dreams.
As for the principal. . . .I think I would be asking him where exactly a skirt on a boy becomes a distraction and hoochie outfits on girls meets dress code?

[tsita.livejournal.com]

Dammit, I want to know what on *under* that kilt...

[tsita.livejournal.com]

BWAHAHAHA!

I have the song 'Scotman Unbound' running through my head.

He wins a blue ribbon for the cojones that took to pull off.

I'd get him a true kilt if they didn't cost so much.

In fact, I want Imp to have one...

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Knowing THAT Obi?
nothing at all.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Hee!
I know that song.

We're watching E-bay for a utilikilt. Problem is. the boy is so skinny he barely outweighs his shadow.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

I knew what would happen down here. I knew he'd be out of it before first period. I'm just proud of his friends.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Adorable yet ornery.
He has great promise, if he can avoid failing English.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Spring fever?
I don't know. He did, and the skirt was to his fingertips, so I let him.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Clothing that causes a distraction is considered anything gender non-conforming.

And Principal C has a homophobic streak. I've been around the block with him wrt Bun. He has us pigeon-holed as the "Queer pagan troublemakers." (Jonner and Dollface will be a relief to him)

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Wrong gender.
Boys don't wear skirts.
Boy barely wear shorts and slacks. (those are kinda citified and sissy)

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

He's asleep nopw, but I'll pass it on.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

The boys can wear earrings in both ears as big as my thumbnail and that's not a problem.
But wear one skirt...

Gender nonconformity is not a popular notion here.

[tsita.livejournal.com]

You could always google for kilt patterns.

[tsita.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but you still want to see...

Come to my dark side, we'll have fun!

[quantumgirl.livejournal.com]

that is so stupid! We don't have any dress code in Germany and nobody gets distracted.

[gingerbeer25.livejournal.com]

They would only find a kilt distracting if they were ignorant and intolerant to begin with. Your son should have been allowed to wear his kilt in peace and the school should start to focus on raising awareness about gender sensitivity. How would they deal with a trans gender student if a kid cannot even wear a kilt?

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

In Arkansas?
They beat the faggot out of the trans kid.

We're not a hotbed of enlightenment. This is the same school where my daughter spent a year being harassed and physically assaulted--once or twice with execution in mind--for the high crime of being both bisexual and wiccan.

The principal believes children don't have sexual orientations.
Like I said, we've gone around before.

[gingerbeer25.livejournal.com]

Have you tried appealing to the school board? Schools have a responsibility to provide a harassment free learning environment. The principle sounds like an ass of the first class. I cannot imagine having to confront such a hostile response.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

I was expecting him to say she deserved it and that he'd be encouraging the attacks because they can't suffer a witch to live. I was pleasantly surprised that they saw the seriousness of this and took measures to ensure her safety.

School board? This is Arkansas. No sympathetic hearing there and sexual orientation is not a protected status. And religious protection is only for Christians.

On the positive side, Bun is now at the High School, which is more gay-friendly. Obi has 2 more years at the Middle School, Jonner will arrive the year after he leaves and Dollface the year after Jonner leaves. Principal C will NEVER catch a break.

[gingerbeer25.livejournal.com]

Well thank goodness your children have you for a mother. Going through this would be so much more difficult with a caring and involved parent. There are just some things to me that should be obvious. Don't hate based on religion or sexuality. I simply have no tolerance for such idiocy. The fact that such intolerance is coming from a school official is so disturbing. Principal C has the ability to influence so many young minds. This is exactly how bigotry, ignorance and hatred is passed on to the next generation. It makes me sick!