The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit against the Watson Chapel School District on Oct. 10 on behalf of students wearing black armbands protesting the dress code. 

   This Tinker-style protest results from the suspension of many students in violation of the school’s strict uniform policy. About 30 students received suspension on Oct. 6 for wearing the arm bands issued by parents in the FEDUP (Fighting Education Depriving Uniform Policies) group. 

   One student faced punishment for wearing a belt with a designer buckle. Another student received suspension for wearing khakis with pockets sewn on the outside of the pants. Violations range from innocent oversights to brazen and deliberate attempts to push boundaries.

   If the dress code plainly states no belts with designer buckles, why push it and wear such a belt? A student in such violation should expect reprimanding. If the dress code requires shirts to have three buttons, wear a shirt with three buttons. Get over it and follow the rules. Deliberately rebelling and then getting upset over the consequences is ridiculous. Such brazen actions prove nothing.

 The fact that the school board gave parents and students a chance to voice concerns for the uniform policy before all this controversy began is even more enraging.

   Danny Holcomb, school board director, said that the board last year asked patrons to provide input on its uniform policy, but received little response.

   “I wish we had, had as much participation then as we did tonight,” he said after a school board meeting addressing the issue. 

   These people had the opportunity to be involved in the construction of the uniform policy but due to a lack of enthusiasm -- or more likely, sheer apathy -- did nothing.

   I understand the frustration of the students and parents, but wearing an armband as a silent protest invokes a gag reflex in me. The fact that the ACLU jumped in to save the day invokes an even bigger gag reflex. Oh yeah, students protest the dress code like it’s the Vietnam War and get backing from the ACLU. On the other hand, students can protest other issues such as abortion and evolution but are left to their own resources if punished or ostracized  for being outspoken. Do you think the ACLU would feel inclined to save the day in a case such as that? I doubt it. The ACLU should support everyone who feels their civil liberties have been violated with this much fervor, not just groups gaining boat loads of media attention. 

   I have more respect for the students in the Tinker case or those protesting more pertinent issues than I could ever have for the Watson Chapel students. First of all, a black armband probably violates the uniform policy and would result in suspension, anyway.  I doubt anyone stopped to think about that. Secondly, it’s a dress code for crying out loud! Protest something with social significance. Protest something you can feel good about telling your kids someday. Protest something worth the suspension. In ten years will these kids still feel good about getting sent home for protesting the uniform policy? In less time than that, they will all be out of high school and will not have to deal with it anymore. 

   These kids feel emboldened enough to wear a stupid armband in retaliation to a dress code. However, if I were a betting woman, I would put all my money on these kids not standing up for any other cause. Why not protest the war in Iraq? Why not protest against the public school system's unobtainable goals for students and teachers? Why not protest their shrinking rights to express religious views? Would any of these kids be willing to come under fire and profess their faiths, whatever they may be, if school suspension was a consequence?  I do not know. All I know now is that if I ever get upset about being suspended for protesting a dress code, the ACLU will be all over it.