Principal bans camouflage in school

[The Straight Story]

Principal bans camouflage in school

AUGUSTA, GA (CNN) - School officials in Georgia are asking students to stop wearing camouflage after two students wearing the pattern were shot.

At Cross Creek High School in August, GA, students believe wearing camouflage is a trend rather than being gang related.

"It's the one thing that everybody wears," said Julia Nelson a student at the high school.

Police reports state both of the students were wearing camouflage when they were shot. School officials worry it might have been gang-related, which could lead to more violence.

This new policy has caused an uproar throughout the school, and many students do not believe it to be fair.

http://www.kplctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13892715

[Statistical]

1. WTF? n/t

[slackmaster]

2. Treating a symptom is always a good substitute when you don't have a clue how to treat the problem

Key words "gang-related".

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Please explain how the school can address the gang problem

[slackmaster]

9. 1. Identify gang members

2. Expel students identified in step 1.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Expel them for what reason?

Being a member of a gang?

Talk about authoritarian. :eyes:

[slackmaster]

20. What defines a gang, p2bK?

Criminal activity. You expel them for bringing weapons or drugs to school, for fighting, for making criminal threats, etc.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. Then you're kicking them out for their BEHAVIOR,

not for merely belonging to a gang.

You said we should identify them and kick them out. Well I can tell you which kids belong to which gang but not all of them are engaging in gang related behavior at school.

There's a difference between punishing kids for their behavior and punishing them for who they are.

[slackmaster]

27. A gang is defined by certain identifiable behaviors

So you're splitting hairs.

[proud2BlibKansan]

31. One of those behaviors is how they dress

So banning gang related clothing makes sense to me.

However, kicking kids out merely because they belong to gangs does not make sense.

[slackmaster]

32. I have no problem with a school setting and enforcing a dress code

As long as a social circle doesn't indulge in criminal behavior, it's not a "gang."

[proud2BlibKansan]

34. They belong to neighborhood gangs

Sometimes they engage in gang related behavior at school and sometimes they don't.

I don't think it's fair for the school to punish kids for what they do outside of school (even if it's criminal behavior - cause we aren't cops, we're educators). So I don't think we should be expelling kids just because they belong to a gang. Some of these kids are the ones who need the stability and structure of the school environment the most.

[madinmaryland]

41. The NRA is a gang. nt

[Dappleganger]

3. Yep, there's this HUGE redneck gang here in north Florida...

j/k--seriously, I am all for dress codes and if a principal says that camo is out, so be it.

[blondeatlast]

12. +1 and I'm a parent of a 14 year old boy in public school. nt

[MadHound]

4. More idiocy,

Instead of worrying about the clothing, why not focus on the actual gang activity:shrug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Exactly WHAT can the school do about gangs?

I think banning the clothing and symbols is a good place to start.

What else do you think schools can do? Isn't this largely a law enforcement issue?

[MadHound]

13. Then as much as I hate to say it, you bring in law enforcement,

Or if it becomes known some kid is a member of a gang, kick him either out of school, or to some other program that is not part of general school population.

You ban a certain set of clothes and symbols, then the gang members will come up with another set, and if you continue, well every kid will either be wearing a school uniform or coming to school entirely naked.

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. We can't just randomly kick out kids because they supposedly belong to a gang

Now if they engage in gang related behavior, which is also disruptive, then kick them out. But just belonging to a gang, while not a good choice, is not a reason to be kicked out of school.

[MadHound]

22. That's what I'm saying,

If they engage in gang related behavior inside or outside of school, remove them from the general school population. You don't have to kick them out of school, but put them in a special school where they can get more attention and be rehabbed out of gang behavior before it is too late.

[RC]

26. Too dangerous. It is easier to deal with the docile majority than dealing with the head cases.

Next it will be to ban certain colors, no red, no blue, no white...

[47of74]

5. Here in Iowa

This Georgia case reminds me of here in Iowa where Dubuque Hempstead officials barred students from wearing white t-shirts a month ago because of racial problems;

Rumors of racial tension led to a white T-shirt ban at one local high school.

Hempstead High School students were asked via an automated message to not wear plain white T-shirts to school Tuesday because it could be perceived to represent white supremacy.

Principal Lee Kolker said he learned earlier this week that some students planned to wear the T-shirts as a show of white supremacy.

[slackmaster]

7. How very odd - Around here white T-shirts used to be the uniform of Latinos

Not necessarily gang members.

[madmom]

8. Good, camo has to be the BIGGEST fashion disaster in history. I just

don't get the appeal outside of the hunting aspect. But then again I was never really into tye-dye either.:shrug:

[jdlh8894]

23. Could never understand

wearing camo while hunting w/a bright orange vest! LOL

[Xicano]

49. Because deer don't see colors the same as you.

Lots of so-called game animals are either color blind or don't see every color we can see. They also are more adept at detecting movement instead of perceiving depth of perception.

But I'm sure you knew that already.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

38. There are lots of fashion disasters that are not banned in schools

I for one think capris are abomination, but I still see them everywhere.

[jp11]

10. Instead of banning this or that either go with a uniform or allow anything

that fits 'decency' standards and be done with it.

If gangs are a problem that can't be dealt with then the 'solution' in a school is usually uniforms or you end up with piece meal banning this and that which just opens the door for other color/symbol/piece of clothing to used as the gang marking.

[jdlh8894]

14. How come there is NOTHING about this

In the Augusta Newspapers? Or on any newscast in GA?

[The Straight Story]

16. News outlets in Louisiana are having a slow day?

:)

[jdlh8894]

21. Found it! Happened on the 11th-off campus.My Bad!

[The Straight Story]

17. Here is one:

http://www.wrdw.com/schools/headlines/Camouflage_clothing_conflict_at_Cross_Creek_114373749.html

[hobbit709]

18. Wearing camos in an urban setting really makes you stand out against the background.

[jdlh8894]

25. Wouldn't exactly call Augusta,GA an" urban "setting

[hobbit709]

28. Is the school out in the woods? Is the mall?

i wouldn't call a population of 190,000+ rural.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

39. For that there is urban camo

http://www.vtarmynavy.com/city_camo_clothing.htm

Remember that the goal is to break up your outline so it is not immediately recognizable as human. I have never seen an effective urban ghillie suit

[ensho]

29. good for the principal - school isn't supposed to look/feel like the

military or hunting place

[ProgressiveProfessor]

37. Camo does neither...its quite common everywhere

[ensho]

45. whether its common everywhere or not it still represents the military/hunting

groups

[ProgressiveProfessor]

46. Not really...it is innocuous and the school administration is going to look like a fool over this

Seen this any number of times. People intentionally start rumors and after it goes around for a while the school feels it has to respond. Its more manipulation than anything else.

[d_r]

30. require them to wear orange caps

so they'll be easier to see and so they don't blend in and get shot

[Electric Monk]

35. lol nt

[krispos42]

33. "Hey, who's that punk ass?"

"Dunno, but he must be from the 7th Street Sharks crew. Look at him, swaggering all around in RealTree AP camo."

"No, that's Mossy Oak 'Obsession'. What are you, blind? Who's crew uses that, the Lincoln Boulevard Bastards?"

"You ain't know shit. It's RealTree AP!"



:eyes:

http://camouflagepatterns.com/

[ProgressiveProfessor]

36. Given how common camo is, the bubba better be able to document a gang linkage

It will not be the first time administrators have been manipulated in such a fashion (pun intentional)

[madinmaryland]

40. Interesting to see the gun-thumpers come out...

Got my popcorn ready.

:popcorn:

Sorry I missed so much of this.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

42. I have never understood why so many Americans are so averse to school uniforms.

Here in the UK nearly all schools have a uniform, and it prevents all sorts of problems.

Saying "you can wear what you like, except for this or that or the other" opens all sorts of cans of worms - T-shirt slogans being one obvious one, and this being another.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

43. Americans are rarely big on the herd mentality

School uniforms are clearly more practical and cost effective, it addresses a lot of issues, but we clearly wish to show that we are different and special, just like every one else.

[Odin2005]

44. Oh for fuck's sake! Talk about fucked up priorities.

[seabeyond]

47. it was HUGE when my kids were little. more so than today. i wouldnt let them. said NO.

it became such the fad after 9/11 and wars. i would see so many of the little little boys in this private christian, decked out in camo.

so

that policy follows right along with mine. though....

[Swamp Rat]

48. Maybe camouflage style clothing is cheap and abundant, and allows poor kids to 'fit it' somehow?

The production, sale and consumption of camouflage clothing in America and abroad is an interesting topic worthy of in-depth analysis.

[TK421]

50. Well, it's good to know another burning issue is being addressed

is there a need for the sarcasm tag? no

[Xicano]

51. "AMERICA! THE LAND OF THE FREE!"

I'm just saying....

[mentalsolstice]

52. When I was in HS, camos were pretty standard in AL

Guys wore them to school after early morning hunting. :shrug: