School Prohibits Wearing Patriotic Dress

A Southland school district has banned the wearing of clothes that send a patriotic message – American or otherwise. Students in Oceanside will not be allowed to wear prints that resemble the U.S. flag or the Mexican flag, or any other nation.

The order comes on the heels of last week’s riot at the local high school, which caused closure of the campus Thursday and Friday. About 250 students faced off with police officers, hurling food, milk cartons and plastic bottles. Three boys that threw chunks of concrete were arrested.

Superintendent Ken Noonan said that “violence and racial tension could escalate throughout the community.” More than two dozen county sheriff deputies and California Patrol officers were called in to help control the situation.

Oceanside, known for being the west coast home of the Marine Corps, was in sharp contrast to Los Angeles schools, which were quiet late last week, after two days of immigration protests. An estimated million dollars will be withheld from school funding by the state because of absences due to the walkouts Monday and Tuesday. The state average daily attendance (ADA) allocation is about $28.60 per student that is not absent.

The issue of flag-resembling apparel has renewed interest in school-required uniforms, common in private schools, but mostly ignored by local high schools.

When this writer went to Virgil Middle School six years ago, the uniform dress code was strictly enforced. If you came to campus wearing anything other than maroon, white and gray, you’d spend the day in the dean’s office, or have to wear an ill-fitting uniform from the school storeroom.

When I got to Belmont High School, the prohibition was against wearing any kind of colors that represented gangs – black and red. Down in Oceanside, the gang colors are red and blue.

Uniforms help students focus their attention on their schoolwork, and not what their class mates are wearing. The LAUSD dress code also prohibits wearing clothes that are too tight or baggy, and prohibit exposing undergarments, or the display of inappropriate messages or logos.

Schools that require uniforms have organizations that will pay for the clothes for families that cannot afford them.