Family of shooting victim files suit against Hueneme School District Options

[Hartmann]

http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008...gainst-hueneme/
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/c...1&cset=true

This is the story of the cross-dressing boy that the district allowed to cross-dress, more than likely so they wouldn't get sued for discrimination. The boy is shot and killed and now the parents are suing the school district for not enforcing dress code.

The sad part is that they will more than likely win.

We've almost completely removed parental responsibility from the equation.

Another angle of this thing is the fact that the family is calling for "acceptance", not "tolerance". They believe the school should teach about accepting people. Wow. What a dream world. Everyone is not going to be accepted all of the time.

[Mommy]

I don't know if I feel the same. I mean, dress codes in schools are there for safety, especially in public schools. Private schools have them for safety and for uniformity among their students. If a kid is out of dress code, he should be in trouble because he is violating safety regulations. The school failed to ensure the safety of a student by allowing him to dress in drag. I need to read the story, but if the shooting happened at school, the school should be liable.

[woody]

fuck that shit. what happened to the parent ensuring the safety of their own god damn kid

[Mommy]

The kid was at school. Parents can't do much while their kids are at school.

[James]

Show me one dress code that restricts boys from wearing dresses or makeup. One of the articles mentioned jewelry, but I know a lot of the more liberal school districts allow piercings, long hair, and facial hair. Maybe this school wasn't so liberal and that's the rule they forgot to enforce?

[chook]

sounds like catch-22 for the school.

[James]

The kid was at school. Parents can't do much while their kids are at school.

They could beat the gay out of him

[woody]

The kid was at school. Parents can't do much while their kids are at school.

kid was probably at home getting dressed before he went to school

[Mommy]

And how many parents these days work? The kid could have been left at home alone in the morning, gotten dressed, and then taken the bus to school. It's very feasible.

James, my private high school had rules that guys couldn't wear makeup.

[James]

And how many parents these days work? The kid could have been left at home alone in the morning, gotten dressed, and then taken the bus to school. It's very feasible.

James, my private high school had rules that guys couldn't wear makeup.

Private schools are different though. They're the least accepting of differences. It's a little creepy to see all the students lose any and all identity when they're at the age that they're supposed to begin finding their identity.

[Mommy]

I don't know. I kinda see the college years as the time when people are supposed to "find themselves." I mean, that's when I did. Kids are supposed to have rules so that they mature. Those rules are supposed to lay a foundation that they are to build upon. When they get to college or move out of the house and out on their own, then they can do whatever. College kids are a lot more accepting than high school kids and below. It really is dangerous for kids to be different, not that it makes it right for them to be threatened, but I live in the times. I know it's dangerous to go out at night alone so I don't. Kids can't dress in extreme fashion because it's dangerous. I don't know if I am making a whole lot of sense, but I have a baby in my arms so I'm distracted.

[James]

I don't know. I kinda see the college years as the time when people are supposed to "find themselves." I mean, that's when I did. Kids are supposed to have rules so that they mature. Those rules are supposed to lay a foundation that they are to build upon. When they get to college or move out of the house and out on their own, then they can do whatever. College kids are a lot more accepting than high school kids and below. It really is dangerous for kids to be different, not that it makes it right for them to be threatened, but I live in the times. I know it's dangerous to go out at night alone so I don't. Kids can't dress in extreme fashion because it's dangerous. I don't know if I am making a whole lot of sense, but I have a baby in my arms so I'm distracted.

I know what you're saying and there's a disconnect. You're rationalizing the protective culture of the late 20th-early 21st centuries. Maybe it's because you're a mommy now and don't want anything to happen to your precious child. As an educator, we're required to take a few courses on the development of the human being - psychologically. Granted, the courses could've been one-sided, but everything pointed towards identity as something the children yearn to obtain in their early teen years - clicks (sp?) anyone?

Now, I know no one's going to let me get by with "I read it in a book," so I have more to add to that. I've actually seen it in my school. These kids are definitely trying to find themselves and mesh with the most accepting or the most like them or whatever. Yes, they find more when they get to college, but I can assure you that if they haven't started receiving that freedom to explore before going to college, not all will. Let me say that again: if the person doesn't begin finding themselves at the right stage of life, that person may never find themself.

I'm against strict dress codes. They're more of a distraction than the ones they're trying to prevent. Everyday, we have to make sure all the students are abiding by the pages of rules. Some are silly - no facial hair, for instance. Boys have a pretty good imagination already; it doesn't really matter what the girls wear or don't wear.

[pysex]

James is right. Those teen years are crucial to establishing an identity. If kids live a sheltered protected life, then when they get to college is their only chance.

[Mommy]

You said yourself that they try to associate with the crowd that will accept them the most. Isn't finding yourself all about being who you are despite the acceptance from others? I think that's why I feel college years are better for that step. The older you get, the more accepting everyone is and the more you can be who you really are. Plus, many stop feeling the need to care what others think. I'm an advocate of uniforms. I had them myself growing up and hated them at the time but now feel that they really were more of a safety thing than anything. Plus, that cuts down on distraction more than anything since everyone is wearing the same thing.

[Epic]

here's my thing.

the kid is in school for what, 8 hours a day? So the other 16 hours the kid is the parent's responsibility. If the parents supported him being a cross dresser then the school is in no way liable. We need to stop requiring schools to do in 8 hours what parents have twice the time to do, raise their child.