Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson
Thomas Starr King Middle School, 1929
Aerial view of King Junior High School from the southeast in November 1929.
King Middle School is a public school that has been educating students from the Franklin Hills, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Echo Park, and Hollywood neighborhoods since 1926. In 1995, Thomas Starr King Junior High School reconfigured to a 6th through 8th middle school; it has approximately 2,854 students. In September of 1996, the school community established a strict dress code and uniform policy that states that the school uniform must be worn while attending school, intersession or during school-sponsored activities. It is a year-round school, which runs on three tracks. Tracks B and C start at the beginning of July, and Track A begins at the end of August. Thomas Starr King (1824-1864) was a Unitarian minister, orator, teacher, activist for social justice, and ardent patriot.
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Wow, Thomas Starr King (1824-1864), "activist for social justice", must be spinning in his grave.
King Middle School does indeed have a mandatory uniform policy:
http://www.kingms.org/school_policies.jsp#Uniform
However this contravenes both LAUSD policy, State law and the students' First Amendment Rights under the Constitution.
Students do not shed their constitutional rights when they enter the schoolhouse door."
(US Supreme Court, Tinker vs. Des Moines 1969)
LAUSD Policy BUL-2549.1 (last updated December 15, 2009) states:
"Courts have generally interpreted a student’s choice of attire as a form of
expression protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. In general,
the only restrictions that may be placed on attire are in cases where it disrupts
the educational program or is necessary for the health and safety of the school
environment.
("Background")
"Consistent with these guidelines, hair, sideburns,
mustaches, and beards may be worn at any length or style,
and clothing may be of any fashion, style or design, as
determined by the student and his/her parents/guardians."
(Section I.B.5)
"SCHOOL UNIFORM POLICIES
A school uniform policy sets forth requirements for student attire.
However, school uniform policies are voluntary. If a student’s parent
or guardian exercises the right to opt out of the school uniform
policy, the student must follow the student dress code."
(Section II.A.)
If the student’s parents/guardians choose not to have the student
comply with the school uniform policy, the student shall not be
penalized academically, suspended or expelled from school, or
otherwise discriminated against or denied attendance to school
or participation in school activities.
(Section II.A.4.)
Parents/guardians choosing to opt out of the school
uniform policy shall indicate such choice by
submitting a written statement to the school, which
shall be effective upon receipt. Attachment E
includes a form schools may provide to
parents/guardians who ask to opt out.
Parents/guardians are not required to explain or
justify their decision to opt out.
(Section II.B.4)
The school uniform policy must make clear that no
student shall be considered noncompliant with the
policy in the following instances:
When a student wears a button, armband or other
accouterment to exercise the right to freedom of
expression as provided by Education Code 48907,
unless the button, armband or other accouterment
falls outside speech protected by First
Amendment (see Part II A 4, above)
(Section II.B.6.d.2).)
http://notebook.lausd.net/pls/ptl/do...%20(PDF)_1.PDF
In my long association with LAUSD schools, I am continually amazed that staff, on occasion, think their prejudices and desire for control trump both State and Federal law plus official LAUSD policy. What exactly are they trying to teach the students in this instance? I'll send KMS and the District an email.
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Very interesting BifRayRock.
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