School uniform - what does this mean?

I know everyone has heard this rumor about discussions of Obama and Obama pins etc. being disallowed in Natchitoches Parish schools, and I was taking a look at the school uniform policy because I assumed that such accessories would be banned across the board as part of the policy. Anyway, point being, I stumbled across another part of the uniform policy that was far more interesting to me: "Accessories or other items worn or brought into school that display satanic/occult symbols or practices are prohibited."

wtf does THAT mean? What constitutes an occult symbol? If I were a Wiccan student and wanted to wear an endless knot charm, would I get in trouble? Can Christians students wear THEIR symbols and charms? What about the Star of David, is that an 'occult' symbol? I guess I'm fine with it if they're not allowing religious symbols of any kind, but if they're just targeting what they see as the 'occult,' wtf is that except discrimination? And if they aren't allowing any religious symbols, why does their policy not reflect that in writing?

I don't know Thel why don't you plan a march?Make all the kids ware a obama pin and a dead chicken foot around their necks.I mean louisina is famous for our black magic and voodoo

Thel, i'm sure you can wear the cross upside down if you want to, just wear it under your shirt.
Unless you are just trying to get attention!
wiccan's believe they are witches don't they?
why not call the TV station and show up on a broom dressed in black! boy, you sure would get attention then!

Natchitoches Uniform guidelines
1. This restricted dress code applies to all students in grades pre-kindergarten through grade twelve.
2. Students that transfer to the parish will be allowed five school days to obtain proper dress code apparel relative to the school they attend.
3. At the discretion of the principal, each school will be allowed up to nine days for out-of-uniform dress.
4. Students of athletic programs, athletic support teamks, JROTC and other approved school organizations will be allowed to wear their designated uniforms when appropriate at the designation of the principal.
5. All clothing, including, jumpers, trouser, skirts, shirts, blouses, etc. must be neat, clean, and appropriate for school wear. Items must conform to established restricted dress code standards. No uniform items may be worn that are revealing, have holes, tears, cuts or are excessively frayed.
6. All students must wear navy blue or khaki bottoms and white tops. Each school is allowed to select one school colored top in additional to the white tops.
7. The principal has the discretion of prohibiting articles of clothing not specifically discussed on this policy that create or could potentially create campus conflicts.
Bottoms
1. Bottoms include: slacks, skirts, jumpers, skorts, and shorts.
2. Slacks, skirts, jumpers, skorts, and shorts may have only inside pockets and must be hemmed. No cargo pockets are allowed. No jeans of any color and/or type are allowed.
3. All bottoms are to be worn at waist level. No sagging pants are allowed.
4. Bottoms with belt loops require the wearing of belts. Belts are to be brown, black, or navy.
5. The entire length of the belt must be worn inside the loops. Hanging of any part of the belt outside the belt loops is not allowed.
6. Shorts are permissible for students in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. All students must wear standard uniform shorts in khaki or navy. Shorts, jumpers, skirts, and skorts must not be more than 4 inches above the middle of the knee. Biking shorts are not permitted at any grade level.
Tops
1. Tops may be the "oxford style" or "polo style".
2. Tops must be tucked in. No over-sizing of top is allowed.
3. All tops must have sleeves.
4. Undershirts must be solid white.
5. Pullovers (sweaters or sweat shirts without hoods) in the designated school colors may be worn.
Footwear
1. Proper footwear must be worn at all times
2. Socks are to be solid white, khaki, or navy.

No logos are allowed.
3. Hosiery is to be flesh tone, white, or navy.
4. Only closed toe shoes are allowed.
5. The backs of shoes must have straps.
6. No beach shoes, shower clogs or sandals with or without straps are allowed. Sandals with straps may be worn in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.
Hair Guidelines and Head-wear
1. Hair will be clean, combed, and uncovered.
2. No disruptive/distractive colors or hair styles will be worn. A distractive color is any color other than a natural hair color.
3. Wigs are not acceptable except for medical reasons.
4. Pullovers/socks/knit/watch caps are allowed in the outdoor setting only. No logos are allowed.
5. No other headgear is allowed.
6. Hair styles may be further restricted when it pertains to the health and/or safety of students in specific subject areas or extracurricular activities.
Accessories
1. Only prescription glasses may be worn inside buildings.
2. Jewelry is permissible for both sexes as long as other mandates of this policy are not violated. Earrings or studs may be worn in the ear only.
3. No visible vulgar, suggestive, obscene, or gang related tattoos are allowed.
4. Accessories or other items worn or brought into school that display satanic/occult symbols or practices are prohibited.
5. Coats and jackets must not be excessively bulky. No hoods will be worn in school buildings.
6. Dusters and trench coats are not allowed in school.
7. Accessories or other items worn may not advertise alcoholic beverages, drugs, or use of tobacco products or establishments generally associated with serving alcoholic beverages.
8. Identification cards will be worn by students in Grades 9-12 in a visible location at all times while on the school campus during the school day except during PE activity classes (high school only).
9. Each individual school may establish more specific dress code policies as long as they do not contradict the above. In such cases, students will be informed of these policies through printed handouts having been approved by the board.
10. Book bags must be made of a clear or mesh material.

Natchitoches, LA
School uniform - what does this mean?

Anyone with a 6th grade education should be able to read and understand this policy, although you (Thel) may need help!

This was a rule, among many others, that was enforced while I was an 8th grader at a particular religious based school......hmmm....

In their particular context, they meant "not catholic" but saying that would be very un-P.C.

The uniform means exactly that in definition...

identical or consistent, as from example to example, place to place, or moment to moment; without variations in detail; constant; unvarying; undeviating.

The plan on action for this movement to take place when it did in the Natchitoches community was an attempt to eliminate kids being teased or there being some kind of elusive fashion consultant roaming the hallways inspecting kids for wal-mart shoes.

(EDITORS NOTE: When you grow up and are broke, wal-mart shoes are a temporary fix--don't hate)

However I have always believed, kids don't grow up judging others for what they wear, they are taught this behavior. I think the whole policy is like putting a band aid on a giant, pulsating tumor.

And yes, crosses are allowed. Apparently Christian is not a cult. Well, it's not when you get a map and put your hand over Utah.

Thel wrote:

I know everyone has heard this rumor about discussions of Obama and Obama pins etc. being disallowed in Natchitoches Parish schools, and I was taking a look at the school uniform policy because I assumed that such accessories would be banned across the board as part of the policy. Anyway, point being, I stumbled across another part of the uniform policy that was far more interesting to me: "Accessories or other items worn or brought into school that display satanic/occult symbols or practices are prohibited."
wtf does THAT mean? What constitutes an occult symbol? If I were a Wiccan student and wanted to wear an endless knot charm, would I get in trouble? Can Christians students wear THEIR symbols and charms? What about the Star of David, is that an 'occult' symbol? I guess I'm fine with it if they're not allowing religious symbols of any kind, but if they're just targeting what they see as the 'occult,' wtf is that except discrimination? And if they aren't allowing any religious symbols, why does their policy not reflect that in writing?

big boy wrote:

Thel, i'm sure you can wear the cross upside down if you want to, just wear it under your shirt.
Unless you are just trying to get attention!
wiccan's believe they are witches don't they?
why not call the TV station and show up on a broom dressed in black! boy, you sure would get attention then!

a) I'm not in high school, so I can wear whatever the hell I want, under or over my shirt.
b) I'm not Wiccan. It was hypothetical. Look it up.
c) If I needed attention, wouldn't it be silly to look for it in an _anonymous_ forum?

By the way, thanks for posting the entire dress code without addressing my specific point: what constitutes an occult/satanic symbol? The ankh? The pentacle? The cross? I don't recall there being anything wrong with being an "occultist" in America, so why can kids wear a cross but not a pentagram?

Velvettrance, I think I can probably guess what school, and I remember those rules well. ;)

But that was a private school. How the hell is a public school getting away with a rule like that in their dress code? I suppose it's open to interpretation of the (kind of offensive) term 'occult'. What do our local principles see as the occult? Buddhism?

p.s. My intent with the thread was not to address the general question of "school uniform - what does this mean?" I did not realize the ambiguity of the thread title. I suppose I should edit my work, but who's gonna do that on a message board? ;)

My intent was to ask the specific question: what do the schools interpret to be 'satanic/occult,' and is this not a separation of church/state issue?

THEL, I KNOW YOU ARE NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND YOU DO NOT HAVE KIDS EITHER, UNLESS YOU ARE THE SECOND MAN TO GIVE BIRTH.

You just prefer to talk shit because you do not believe in God and have to keep reminding us for some stupid reason. Are you trying to convince yourself that being gay and an athiest is the right path. and the school is not getting away with anything, it is the f*cking rules! and you can wear a pentagram up your *ss if it makes you happy!

big boy, maybe you should calm down.

I'm not trying to convince YOU of anything. I don't try to convert you to atheism. As for homosexuality, why the f$@( would I care? I'm engaged to a woman.

Whether the school is 'getting away with anything' is what I am trying to determine. What is an occult symbol? Because if they're discriminating against atheists' Darwin fish, Buddhist symbols, Wiccan charms, etc., and NOT against the religious symbols of Christians, there's a problem.

I don't wear pentagrams. I'm not childish enough to believe in charms like crucifixes and ankhs.

SQUID wrote:

LOL COME ON GUYS GET WITH THE PROGRAM,THIS IS NOT ABOUT DRESS CODES,PENTAGRAMS OR CHICKEN BONES.NO MATTER WHAT DIRECTION IT GOES IT WILL LEAD BACK TO ONE THING AND THATS WHERE IT STARTED,SOMEONE SAID THEY COULDN'T HAVE OBAMA PINS ON THEIR UNIFORMS AND THATS WHAT IDIOT THEL IS BITCHING ABOUT. HE WON'T BE HAPPY UNTIL HE HAS RAMMED THIS SHIT DOWN EVERYONES THROAT FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS.

Squid, I mentioned the Obama pin issue in passing. I wasn't even going to bring up that rumor on here, except to explain why I stumbled across the uniform policy. I think the whole issue over the pins is pretty silly, if it's even true.

Methinks YOU won't be happy, unless you desperately try to divert anything I say back to how despicable I am for voting for Obama. Maybe you should accept that you have a new president-elect and stop crying over it, mm?

Let's try and stay on topic, here, Squiddy. Pay attention: occultism, what is it?

I personally love virgen de guadalupe art. But that's just me. If you haven't noticed I've got this thing for colors.

Occultism is a catch all term for anything NOT considered to be a main stream religion.

So yes, Wicca or any form of Paganism would fall under there. HOWEVR....Wicca is a religion recongized by the federal government, so if someone wanted to push the issue, they could.

I believe that if any charm could be shown to be nothing more than a symbol of the childs real religion, just like a cross is, and not just an accessory meant to look stylish...then, the school officials can chomp at the bit about it all they want to, they really wouldn't be able to do anything about it, without eliminating christian symbols, as well.

Unfortuantely, leaglities of a situation don't matter to some when it's a religious issue.

SQUID wrote:

<quoted text>HERES A TOPIC FOR YOU EATSHIT!IF YOU THOUGHT THE SUBJECT WAS SO SILLY NOT EVEN KNOWING IF IT WAS TRUE WHY GO TO THE TROUBLE TO LOOK INTO TO IT IN THE FIRST PLACE?WHY EVEN BRING IT UP IN YOUR POST?WHY MAKE THE POINT OF IT AT ALL?WHY NOT JUST GET TO THE POINTLESS POINT OF THE DRESS CODE?

You know what? What I look up and post on is my business. Deal with it, you whiny punk.

Just brandy wrote:

Occultism is a catch all term for anything NOT considered to be a main stream religion.
So yes, Wicca or any form of Paganism would fall under there. HOWEVR....Wicca is a religion recongized by the federal government, so if someone wanted to push the issue, they could.
I believe that if any charm could be shown to be nothing more than a symbol of the childs real religion, just like a cross is, and not just an accessory meant to look stylish...then, the school officials can chomp at the bit about it all they want to, they really wouldn't be able to do anything about it, without eliminating christian symbols, as well.
Unfortuantely, leaglities of a situation don't matter to some when it's a religious issue.

This is kind of what I was thinking. I mean, why would they even put a stupid policy like that in writing? They've got to know someone could make a s%$&-storm about this.