It is insidious, is it not,

how intolerance creeps up on a community? One would think

that society would learn from lessons of history, many

within the last few decades, but the power of denial and

the desperate, reactionary determination born of fear

tend to blur the vision of some.

From the pulpits of

politicians and preachers to local town meetings,

frantic, frightened people are readily handing away their

civil rights, demanding Band-Aid solutions from dress

codes and metal detectors to enforced religious belief.

This national hysteria is

understandable but more frightening in its implications

than the problem itself. As native Bostonians, we were

raised with a particular awareness of the sacrifice and

courage that won this country's freedom. We are thus

amazed at the extent to which people are willing to trade

that freedom away in a futile attempt to control a

problem which, frankly, goes much deeper than choice of

clothing.

Consider the proposed

"trenchcoat ban." Trenchcoats, in and of

themselves, are no more unsafe than most clothing, and

considerably less so than three-inch spiked pumps. Until

a few months ago, they were de rigeur uniform of millions

of business people, government officials and other

law-abiding citizens.

Last April, two seriously

disturbed teenagers who happened to favor trenchcoats

over down ski jackets committed a terrible crime against

society, and suddenly their choice of apparel is

considered evil. Immediately, many schools attempted to

ban trenchcoats as if they were the source and symbol of

disturbed people everywhere, and challenges to civil

rights have necessarily followed.

If only criminal psychology

were that simple. Following the trenchcoat ban line of

logic, perhaps bald heads should be banned, since they

evoke images of Nazi skin-heads. Perhaps we can get a

ban, now, on the Confederate flag, since that image, too,

has been the symbol of the most famous "gang"

of white-sheeted racists in America.

Well, such bans are not

that easy. It has long been upheld by our legal system

that students do not leave their civil rights at the

front door of the school. Although rights may be limited,

there must be due cause. In the case of

"disruptive" clothing, schools are obligated to

show a "substantial" disruption and cannot

unduly ban clothing simply due to the anxiety or

disapproval of a few students or administrators.

For this reason, trenchcoat

bans have already been successfully challenged in other

states. Why waste the time and money of taxpayers in

Fayette County with a self-righteous and groundless

attempt to ban an article of clothing that holds no

danger? An inanimate object such as a trenchcoat only has

as much power as people give it.

Just as trenchcoats are not

the problem, neither are untucked shirts or unbelted

pants. An exposed rear end may be inappropriate for

school, but a loose shirt or lack of belt on otherwise

well-fitting pants is neither inappropriate nor

objectionable, except, perhaps, to those enrolled in the

Miss Manners' School of Fashion Don'ts.

What short memories many

adults have! How many of us grew up to be ethical adults

despite bell-bottomed hip huggers and tie-dyed halter

tops? Our parents must have worried about our moral decay

as well, but for the great majority, it was unfounded. We

outgrew the fads, and our children will, too.

What is most frightening,

to me, is the growing trend to blame some thing

for what is a very complex problem in society, and then

do handsprings trying in vain to control that thing. Not

only are these attempts usually futile, they often do

more harm than good.

Untucked shirts are not the

problem. Trenchcoats are not the problem. Even non-theism

is not the problem. Last week's violence right here in

Atlanta by a "respectfully dressed," Christian,

Caravan-driving family man should be a perfect example

that the anger and violence in our society transcends

religion, age groups, race, economic class and

especially, style of dress. The roots of the problem are

much deeper.

So much of the violence, we

believe, is caused by feelings of isolation and

intolerance. Ironically, many of the

"solutions" being bandied about only increase

those feelings. To some, a dress code may be a

non-solution, but, it does no harm. We strongly disagree.

Could we, in this family, be the only ones who are

bothered by the ominous statement, "You will be

treated as you are dressed?"

This statement brings to

mind several thoughts. First, there is the obvious

contradiction between concern for kids killing each other

over clothing and then valuing the clothing over the

person. Bizarre.

Secondly, the statement

itself comes across as arrogant and condescending,

particularly to those of us trying to live on one modest

income for the betterment of our children. We patch pants

and wear hand-me-downs out of necessity. We don't waste

money on adornments like belts unless our pants are

falling down.

Are those of us who shop at

thrift stores now worth less than the Talbot's- and J.

Crew-clad of the community? Hello, this is public school,

not the Academy of the Rich and Faceless isn't it?

The third point, all

kidding aside, is most serious: this statement teaches

children the value of superficiality, which is the

precursor to prejudice. It teaches that a person is

judged less by his intelligence or the content of her

character than by the "wrapping." That is not

only sad, it's scary. By this standard, Gandhi would have

been ignored, but John Gotti would've been shown all the

respect due his attire. A monkey in an Armani suit is

still a monkey.

We cannot support a concept

that would teach our children to close their eyes and

ears to those who are "unacceptable" in

appearance - at least in the opinion of the Fayette

County Board of Education. Dress codes may be all the

fad, but they are purely aesthetic, born primarily of

irrational fear and have no place in our public school

system.

Strict dress codes take

away our rights as parents to decide what kind of dress

we find acceptable on our children. It stigmatizes all of

us unnecessarily for not living up to (whose?) standards.

It punishes the innocent, the body-conscious, the

expressive, the fumble-fingered or financially strapped.

Worse yet, it feeds on unreasonable fears and seeks to

suppress any beliefs or tastes outside the norm, sending

the ominous message that "different is

dangerous."

Fayette County, different

is not dangerous. Fear and intolerance of difference is

far more dangerous.

The different have made

this country strong. "Different" is the

foundation upon which our three branches of government

and multiparty system is based. Our ability to be

ourselves, as long as we don't harm another, and to be

treated equally under the law despite our differences, is

the cornerstone of the First Amendment to the U.S.

Constitution. Intolerance of differences, on the other

hand, is tyranny or communism.

Unfortunately, there are no

easy answers and no guarantees that violence won't touch

us or our children. We can't lock it out and we can't

legislate it out. There is something we can all do,

however, and it isn't quick or easy: we can try to teach

our children, by example, that they are more important

than money, cars or monumental houses; that people should

be judged by what's inside and not what's outside; and

that those of us who are different in our beliefs or

appearances are no threat, should not be feared, and

should be recognized and accepted as worthwhile in our

community.

Children need to be exposed

to different ideas, so they learn not to react in

violence or anger born of fear. This very important

concept should be demonstrated by the superintendent and

board of education. They have an opportunity to reject

superficial values, and to set an example that those who

may be outside the norm in whatever way are part

of this community and public school system. They can

formally recognize that true character has nothing to do

with clothing any more than it has to do with skin color,

economic class, religion or lack thereof.

We urge other citizens and

the board of education to take a stand against turning

schools into armed camps, teaching skewed values and

homogenizing our children into beings who dare not think,

dress or believe anything independently.

Respect for differences

will do more to promote a safe society in the long run

than all the metal detectors and school dress codes ever

will. In the words of famous author Katharine Anne

Porter, "Love must be learned, and learned again and

again; hate needs no instruction but waits only to be

provoked."

Different is not dangerous.

This atmosphere of intolerance, hatred and ignorance is.

Meg and John Harris

Ryan, Danika, Duncan and Alexander Harris

[email protected]

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