Culture clash as American school bans kilt

Culture clash as American school bans kilt
WILL SPRINGER

THE NICKNAME for Missouri is the "Show Me State", which is to mean that people from America's conservative heartland are stalwart, a bit stubborn and have a devotion to common sense. The stalwart and stubborn aspects of the state moniker might explain what happened when a school principal confronted one of his students who was dressed in a kilt.

Nathan Warmack is a popular student at Jackson High School. The 18-year-old is an outstanding defensive lineman on the American football team and - at 6ft, 4in and 250lbs - you can't miss him when he walks along the school corridors.

Unintentionally, Nate has become even more recognisable in recent weeks. He attended the school's "Silver Arrow" dance in November dressed in a red kilt, the colours of his family clan. Once photos of Nate and his girlfriend were taken to mark the special occasion, the young man was told he couldn't join his fellow students inside because the kilt would cause a distraction.

<snip>

Photo of the kid with his girlfriend:



I think this principal is an ass and deserves to be severely reprimanded! The kilt is a time honored tradition and is formal attire in weddings all over this nation! It was a VERY appropriate form of attire for a formal dance!

Self-expression and identity are dead in America.

This is so wrong on so many levels. I hope the Scots rise and defend their manhood on this one!

Even Prince Charles wears kilts!

I say the Scots are MORE masculine than most... after all, they're comfortable enough in their masculinity to wear a "dress"!

(This is coming from an Italian, by the way :D )

No sporran. Might as well be naked.

Because the chain could be construed as a weapon?

he should be wearing a dress tartan. For Clan MacRae, it's this one:

The Clan MacRae traditional tartan.

(if the clan has a red tartan) could only be worn by royal members of the family.

Eh...what do I know...I'm German.

LOL

Now American's aren't allowed to embrace their heritage? I think it is awesome that this young man recognizes a sense of tradition.
I've been to many formal events where kilts have been worn.
Unreal.

Why not ban kilts for HS dances too? Makes about as much sense.

The British oppressors and occupiers banned the wearing of kilts or the possession of tartan cloth for centuries. Shall we allow the authorities in this land to do the same? :grr:

O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see your like again,
That fought and died for
Your wee bit hill and glen,
And stood against him,
Proud Edward's army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again?

regnaD kciN
Clan MacNeil

:evilgrin:

Celtic Pride!!!!!!!

:woohoo:

XemaSab
Clan MacDonald

And how conveniently close to Kansas -- that other bastion of enlightenment.

Jackson, MO is on the other side of the state than Kansas. It's close to Illinois and Kentucky, and not too far from Tennessee and Arkansas. It's also very close to the Trail of Tears memorial.

Sorry for the correction, I lived there for a short while.

A kilt can look nice worn correctly. A kid in my son's middle school band wore his last year at a concert, with the regular uniform top of black jacket, white shirt and black tie. He looked fine.

The serious business of white kids dancing awkwardly to bad pop music spun by some cheezy DJ? Or maybe spiking the Hawaiin Punch with Everclear?

...And my step-father's wake was accompanied by a piper in -his- clan's kilt.

"distraction"? I'd like to hear him explain -that-.

Warmack explains that family members have been researching their heritage for at least four years and only recently uncovered a fascinating mystery behind their name. He says his ancestors were originally named MacRaw (Macraw), from the Clan MacRae, and that they were forced to change their name to Warmack when fleeing to America via England, apparently following the failed Jacobite uprising. (The surname Warmack is derived from the last three letters of MacRaw spelled backwards and the first three letters, "Mac", with the "k" added years later.)

Each passing kernel of information from his family's research gave Nate further excitement about his heritage. He saved up enough money and bought a traditional red Clan MacRae tartan to wear to special events.
http://heritage.scotsman.com/traditions.cfm?id=2355512005
"You can honour your heritage in Scotland," McClard is said to have told Nate, "but you can't go in here looking like a clown. This is considered proper attire in Scotland, but it's not considered proper attire in my school."

taxpayers stop donating money via property taxes to McClard's school. Then I'd hold a really grand dance at the local hotel ballroom.

:loveya:

I just have to settle for other men wearing them.

Principal McClard doesn't like a student expressing his Scots roots.

McClard, look at your own family tree, laddy.

<>
Taken on the steps of MacHinery Hall

I even know a couple of guys who have taken to wearing kilts full time. They're both retirees, so nobody's gonna tell them to put pants on.

This principal was just waving his ignorance around for all to see.

He needs to find another line of work.

Oh for fuck's sake, it's a DANCE, not final exams.

Sorry, but that is one shitty kilt.

I thought for sure I had included it in the OP

:blush:

http://heritage.scotsman.com/traditions.cfm?id=2355512005

It's in SE Missouri. That's rush's home turf.

So send this to him. Let him take up this kid's cause. LOL

Yeeeargh!

I've never understood how high school principals and vice principals can manage to make anything into a "distraction."

At my high school, they decided a hole in the knee of jeans was a distraction.

I hope the principal issues a formal apology for suggesting the formal dress of a Scotsman is inappropriate. And I hope the local St. Andrews guys raise a stink if they haven't already.