Riveting

I have written here before about the school dress code. Like here, for example, and here and here and here. I thought I was done with the issue after last spring, when a watered-down version of the previous code was implemented that did away with some of the more moronic provisions, such as no capris for girls. Apparently I was wrong.

Thursday morning I was sound asleep when the phone rang at 8 a.m. and Annabelle's voice on the other end said: "Hi, Mom? Can you please come to the school and bring my black pants that aren't corduroy? Apparently I am wearing jeans." Jeans?! She was wearing the same gray cords that we shopped all over creation for back in the fall and that she has worn since that time without incident.

It seems that parents have been complaining when kids get caught for dress code infractions after having worn the offending item all day or--as in our case--for many days without issue. So a call went down on Thursday, telling the homeroom teachers that they should inspect the kids each morning and send all dress code infractions to the office ASAP. According to Annabelle, this was every girl except one in her homeroom.

By the time I got to the school, I was steaming mad. They called Annabelle down from Assignment School, where she was doing time with her fellow inmates, and I gave her the other pants. Then I went and had a chat with the principal.

It is important to note here that this is not the principal's policy. In fact, I would bet money that she is as tired of hearing about the dress code as I am of talking about it. But she let me vent, which I desperately needed. Her advice was that I should call and make an appointment to talk to somebody at the district office about it.

On my way home though, I thought, "Hell, nobody called and made an appointment for me to bring my daughter new pants! Sometimes life happens and you have to deal." So I drove over to the district office for a friendly visit.

I started with the superintendent of the Fort Knox schools, but ultimately wound up talking to his boss, the superintendent of the entire district, which also includes the schools at Fort Campbell. As he welcomed me into his office, he said, "Let me guess--your child got caught wearing jeans at school today!" I said yes and handed him the pants. A puzzled look came over his face, and he said, "But . . . these aren't jeans. Do we not allow corduroy?" I explained that the problem was not the fabric but rather that there were 2 rivets on each pocket and that the pockets were scooped out in the front rather than being set into the side seam. This explanation did not do much to reduce his look of confusion. He made a phone call to the school superintendent for clarification and came back explaining that he had not realized they were policing the kids for whether the pants were "jeans style" or not. All he cared about was that they were not "jeans," which to his way of thinking meant denim.

Friday afternoon, a new policy went out that states:

A trial period student dress code change for the rest of the school year will go into effect Monday, February 1. Beginning Monday, students may wear what is commonly called the jean-styled fitting pants in corduroy and other cotton fabrics, wool, and polyester/blended fabrics. Denim, spandex, and all other dress code policies remain unchanged and in effect. At the end of the school year, we will review outcomes and determine whether or not to make this one change permanent or not. Distractions and other ill effects are of major concern, but it is our belief this change will be well received and prove to be uncompromising.

And this morning, Annabelle's Facebook status was:

Annabelle Taylor is gonna wear her gray corduroy pants (yes, the ones with rivets) because I can :D