Whether you?re dreaming of beginning a career in the pit crews of NASCAR, thinking about getting a tech job at one of the major car or aftermarket companies, or just exploring the many possibilities within the industry, follow the information provided, to make informed decisions about your future.
A degree from a good automobile repair school helps to know the trade, makes you more comfortable with the norms and technicalities in the automobile field. It also gives higher-level openings such as master mechanic or mechanic positions depending on your experience. Whether you?re dreaming of beginning a career in the pit crews of NASCAR, thinking about getting a tech job at one of the major car or aftermarket companies, or just exploring the many possibilities within the industry, Automotive Schools contains the right information for you to make informed decisions about your future.
Automotive School Programs: Automotive Technology Diesel Technology Collision Repair & Refinishing Motorcycle Technology Marine Technology Aviation Maintenance Applied Service Management High Performance Street Rod & Custom Fabrication
General Automotive Courses with Top Level salary estimation:
Automotive Technician – $58,000-108,000 Automobile Mechanic – $60,000-100,000 Diesel Technician – $60,000 Auto-Body Technician – $60,000Paintless Dent Repair Technician – $50,000 – $300,000 Automotive Electrician – $20/hr Motorboat Technician ? greater than $21/hr Motorcycle Service Technician ? more than $41,000 Aircraft Mechanic ? greater than $29/hr Alternative Fuels Technician – $60,000-100,000
Ways to choose a Good Automotive School:
Mentioned below are some ways that may help you in choosing a good automobile repair school:
School Reputation: You need to find out the reputation of a school. This factor is important, as it will have a good impression on your curriculum vitae (CV). There may be several reasons for a good reputation of an automobile school. Generally the most common reason for having a good reputation is graduates from that particular school have performed exceptionally well in the automobile field. You may even cut short your list of schools whose reputation is not known or questionable.
Degree Program: Mostly all schools offer an associate?s degree to help you start in the auto industry. These degrees are short time courses, which on completion allow you to join the respective field as soon as possible. Many schools also provide a master?s degree to help ambitious people to attain positions that are more respectful. Do a good research on the degree program you want to join and check that the program teaches all the skills and techniques required in the field. You also need to ensure if the school provides an ASE (Automotive Standards of Excellence) certification or not. It is extremely important as it allows the company to know your skills in a particular area. Also, see if the school is offering internship or employment opportunities.
Resources Offered: You need to check for what resources the students get from the school. Generally, all automobile schools offer various resources to their students. Please check if the school is offering job placement assistance. Make sure that the school has a good program for graduates or students who are searching for a job. The school also needs to have programs like creating good CV, providing job listings and teaching interview skills.
Cost of the program: This is also an important factor while choosing an automobile school. A good school needs to be affordable too. You need to carry out a research on the cost of the program and need to know what all features are included in the cost. For instance, some schools provide everything in the listed price, while some schools may provide only the course for the listed amount leaving the books, tools and other necessary things required for the program. These need to be bought separately.
These are some ways to choose a good automotive repair school. Do thorough research and choose an automobile training school, which will give a boost to your auto career. Learn the differences between automotive diplomas, degrees, and certification.
 

There are so many things to take into consideration when you’re buying a house. Will your furniture fit? Will your life fit? Is the foundation sound? But if you have children, finding a house near a school that’s a good fit is probably the single most important consideration you have. Let’s do the math: American children spend an average of 6 hours per day, 5 days a week in school. Once you take the various holidays out of the mix, you’re left with approximately 185 instructional days per school year. That’s a total of 1116 hours a year! Multiply this by 12 years and you get a whopping 13,392 instructional hours by the time prom rolls around. Let’s hope it’s a positive experience. Forget everything you know about choosing a school. The secret to choosing the right elementary school for your children has very little to do with fancy grading systems, elaborate facilities, technology, high grades, high tuition or whatever may be the academic flavor of the month. You can’t look at a static report on the Internet and be able to effectively evaluate whether or not that school has what it takes to nurture your child’s heart and soul. Things like school spirit; level of emotional intelligence amongst the staff; the school’s ability to bring out the best in all their students and the level of tolerance for differences (whether they be different learning styles, different abilities or physical differences) aren’t found in the numbers. Yet, all of these factors will have a profound effect on the experience your child will have at school. A few things to look for:FlexibilityDoes the school have a one size fits all approach? Even a gifted child may not excel in every subject. Find out if the school is designed to accommodate differences or if they expect children to conform to their needs. Chances are that your child has a special ability that needs to be nurtured or that they would benefit from enriched or flexible programs that give them access to the right tools and information at the right developmental stage. When you’re looking for a school, look for flexible programs that will be able to serve children who need help in some areas and enrichment in others. ProximityThough your child may gain a modicum of pride from attending a high ranking school, this isn’t the stuff that memories are built on. One of the most important things to children is the quality of the relationships in their lives. Above all else, kids want to spend time with their friends and families. Probably the simplest way to give them this is to live within walking distance of whatever school they go to. Long commutes whether by bus or by car might be the only way to get your child to the school of your choice but it also creates a disconnect when it comes to their day to day life, the life of the family and their social relationships. LeadershipThe quality of the leadership at any school will define the quality of the education at that school. A school principal sets the tone for the staff the staff take this into the classroom and to your child. If you don’t care for the principal’s methodology, you probably won’t like the school. Schedule an interview or meeting with the school principal and find out. 1. What it means to be a successful student at this school2. What sort of children do well here and what sort of children don’t 3. Does the school favor any particular educational philosophies?4. What kind of support does the administration have? A strong PTA? Vice Principal? 5. What kind of arts, technology and sports programs do they offer?6. What sort of stance does the school take toward issues and values that are important to you as a parent? The Hidden Report CardTake some time to discover what it is that you value in a school as a parent. Make a list of must-haves and put them in order of priority. Then go about finding out whether or not the school in question makes the mark on each point. Investigate the schools in the area you’re planning to buy a home in by finding out what kind of marks they get from students, parents and staff. Visit the school and observe whether or not the students are happy. Talk to a few teachers and find out how they feel about the school. An education isn’t just a bunch of marks. It’s an experience, a collection of memories and a foundation for the future.

Looking into Home school programs is an option for some parents who feel public schools are wanting in good education and in safety. However many people wonder if home school youngsters are getting proper socialization and what are the disadvantages and payoffs of home schooling? Different than public-school kids, home school kids are not privy to a system of checks and balances that might smash their self-respect and their joy of learning.
Home school kids aren’t required to sit in a classroom of 30 pupils or more and act like they enjoy being in that confined public school setting. The majority of the kids in home school programs are bright and self-reliant. Home schooling additionally allows parents a chance to interact with the child extensively. Home schooling preschool likewise gives the parents the time to promote their child’s joy of learning
Designing good home school programs can be intimidating at the start, but is worthwhile when your programs are set up. There are various ways of home schooling your children. Your curriculum and your manner of teaching will depend on the method you decide on. Learning responsibility is one of the end results of the education of your child. Whether it occurs in a conventional school setting or home school programs.
There are numerous other matters that should be addressed when home schooling kids. For example, your home schooling costs are important to keep in mind if you’re planning to be in this for the long haul. When it comes to the price of home school programs most people think they’re inexpensive. Actually, home schooling doesn’t have to be pricey. If you buy used home school textbooks, you will be able to trim your home schooling cost. There are plenty of places to get used home school stuff on the web.
There are home schoolers that persist in buying resources, but an ever-growing amount of parents decline traditional home school programs and follow a more personalized plan to their children?s education. Try asking your local schools about resource curricula, recommended formulas for instructing your child at home and about additional valuable information they can give you.
Home schooling is something that is in reach of anyone that wants to bear the responsibility for their child?s education. Whether you?re interested in home school programs for the long haul, or simply want to gear your child for his or her public school, home school programs ought to begin prior to the child beginning Kindergarten.

 
An increasing number of parents these days are electing home schooling as a way of schooling their children. A lot of these parents find that their children are not acquiring the aid they need for a suitable education because of the flood of students in public schools. A few likewise concerned about the escalating violence and feel like bad habits are easily acquired in public schools.
 
While a few parents entertaining the thought of home schooling may think their children may get a better education in private schools, they also believe that private schools are far to costly. Taking for granted all of the downfalls of public and private schools, home schooling seems to be the logical choice to educate a child. Yet, electing to home school also has costs associated with it. It’s possibly even a lot more costly then you might imagine. Textbooks, lessons, the home school curriculum and additional material are costs you must think about. In addition think about the parent doing the home schooling isn’t earning any money because of the home schooling responsibilities, which makes home schooling still more costly.
 
All the same, there are ways of making home schooling worthwhile and profitable. Methods home schooling parents can do so they can home school and bring in money at the same time. Here are some ideas.
 
Home Schooling Lessons For Other Parents
As an experienced home schooling parent you can show other parents who would like to home school their children but don’t have the know how to get going and bill them for it. You’re offering a service and you should be compensated for it.
 
Make Information Products From Your Home Schooling Lessons And Sell Them
Turn the lesson you are teaching to your children into information products and sell them on the net. A lot of parents would find Information from your experience can be very useful.
 
Home School Other Parents Kids For Pay
While you?re home schooling your children why not offer to home school other parent’s kids for a price. Some parents may prefer to have their kids home schooled but just don?t have the time or the know how to do it themselves. Naturally you will have to learn what the laws are concerning this in your area. Likewise you don?t want to have a bunch of kids. You want to be able to give some individual attention where needed.
 
With these few ideas under your belt maybe you can come up with some other ideas on how to make money home schooling.

You may be amazed at the number of career doors a high school diploma can open for you. It is true that a high school diploma will fetch you numerous great job offers. In a world, which is becoming increasingly competitive, possessing even the best skills is not good enough without a high school diploma. Today there are vast numbers of youngsters who have got the skills suited for many higher positions but they are deprived of them for not having a high school diploma. Though you may feel you have much greater potential than the person next door, in reality you may be working in a much lower position and earning far less just because you don’t possess a high school diploma whereas your neighbor does.
Challenging circumstances of life or financial problems sometimes force people to drop out of school leaving their high school education incomplete. Though most of them manage to land a job, sooner or later they realize they have got stuck in their career and have stopped growing professionally. They continue to stagnate helplessly in the same position for years without a promotion. To their frustration, a new employee with a high school diploma grabs a higher position in the same organization and progresses fast receiving one promotion after another. You may find this to be unfair but this is the trend of the job market where only a well-qualified person is considered to be knowledgeable and able to handle the job responsibilities efficiently.
Although many people feel they do not need a high school diploma because they have the essential skills for a job, they would still need to produce a certificate for the same. The law or any organization does not trust your words, but it does trust a certificate issued by a reputed official body. Even you are one of those who had had to drop out of high school, cheer up you can pursue a high school diploma in spite of all constraints. There are various online as well as distance learning diploma programs to choose from. If you are working for a living you can still study in your free time and get this diploma.
When you begin to look out for an institution to do your high school diploma make sure it has a good reputation in the job market. Be sure that the state education board validates their online or offline diploma program. There are many people who are repenting everlastingly for not having received a high school diploma. So if you have realized the importance of the same, you can access the Internet to find out about a reputed institution that can help you earn a high school diploma. You may not attend school and yet earn the diploma by scoring high. A high school diploma will certainly give you an advantage over all those who don’t possess it.
There are cases where people have been trapped into opting for a fake high school diploma. Beware of schools offering fake diplomas or certificates. There are many ways to check on their status and find out whether or not they are authorized or validated by the state education department. Try and find a reputed institute, and pursue a high school diploma. After receiving your diploma you can be sure of getting a better job that will not only give you more money but a sense of fulfillment in life.
Thus a high school diploma is really necessary and it is extremely wise to have one. These days it is possible to get a high school diploma without spending money. You just have to explore various options available before deciding on the kind of course and the learning center ideal for you. After all, you do not want to repent all your life thinking: “Oh, I wish I had done my high school diploma. ” So if you are still without one, it’s time you started thinking seriously about joining an online or offline high school diploma program. It will provide you with a better future. A high school diploma will boost your self-esteem and improve the quality of your life.

High school education is extremely important to acquire basic knowledge of various academic subjects. It is during your high school days that you lay the foundations of a lucrative career for leading a happy and successful life. Your high school education may seem pretty challenging and time consuming, but don’t forget that a high school diploma heaps many rewards upon you. If you put in sincere efforts and complete your high school graduation the rewards will be yours. On the contrary, dropping out of high school deprives you of these rewards.
Let your high school studies be great fun. Don’t allow it to make you feel bogged down. Of course you will have to attend to the usual academic work that goes on throughout the year. At times there may be pressures of completing assignments but don’t give up and never join the herd of dropouts. Getting into high school has been your important step towards a successful professional life. The qualities of hard work, patience and perseverance always pay off helping you to move ahead in life with a great sense of self-esteem.
The percentage of high school dropouts in the US has been very high. For varied reasons ranging from a feeling of insecurity in a school environment to being unable to cope with the academic work many students tend to drop out. They are the people who have no career goals or ambitions in life. They are just drifting in life. If you don’t want to be one among them, it is important that you set your career goals and always stick to it. Staying focused on your goals is key to successfully completing your high school graduation. You cannot expect high school to be as easy as middle school. Naturally you will have to invest more time and energy. You cannot take it easy and hope to come out with flying colors in the examinations.
If you carefully plan your daily schedule including all activities you can manage your high school studies very well. High school is not meant for only reading books; there are times for sports and various other extracurricular activities. You get the opportunity to learn foreign languages and pursue your interests and hobbies. A particular subject that you can pursue further in college and university may fascinate you. Similarly you get to draw and paint under the guidance of your art teacher. Do not let go of such wonderful opportunities by dropping out of high school.
To make things easier for yourself plan your schedule for the whole year breaking it into each month. Include even you holidays and vacations and plan all your activities accordingly. Vacations are good times for completing your projects and other lengthy assignments. Similarly make your weekly plan and don’t forget to include some fun-filled activities for the weekends. This will help you recharge your batteries after a busy academic schedule over the week and you can look forward to the next week with renewed energy and enthusiasm. Allocate enough time for rest and relaxation. However do not let yourself slacken the pace of work putting off what you had earlier decided to do. It may snowball into a real problem and upset your entire planned schedule.
Remember there is life outside the classroom. High school education encourages you to explore the life outside school. It provides you with opportunities to explore your hidden talents and potentials. If you find something that interests you, stick to it throughout the year. You may find yourself excelling in multiple areas. There are various events that schools and community organizations organize which you may involve yourself in. If you have time to spare then volunteer for some social activities or jobs, which can offer you a good experience along with your high school learning.
Getting a certificate in such activities boosts your resume when you start your working life. You may even find a part-time job, which can be a great way to earn some money for your college education. An important reason why you should not become a high school dropout is the fact that in the competitive job market a high school diploma helps you qualify for a better paying job as well as a higher education in college or university. Constantly remembering this vital truth will prevent you from dropping out.

A high school diploma plays a crucial role when it comes to applying for a job. However, there are many people who cannot attend high school for financial or other personal reasons. Thankfully, there are now various types of diplomas available for all those ambitious people who want to acquire more education and move up the career ladder. The best news is that you don’t have to shell out money on acquiring a high school diploma. Yes, you can acquire a high school diploma free of charge. However it does not come about without putting in sincere efforts. In order to earn a free high school diploma you need to possess some special skills and fulfill certain criteria.
There are many people who have excellent skills to get a decent job but it is denied to them for not holding a high school diploma. It seems to be unfair, but that is where you realize the importance of a formal education. If you have been working in a skillful job and your career growth has stopped for not possessing a high school diploma you don’t need to worry any more. You can get it now by proving your skills. On this type of free diploma program you will have to demonstrate your specific skills that you are supposed to have acquired on your job. You also need to meet the appointed consultant every week and complete the given assignments related to your particular professional field.
This special diploma program can be completed within a period of four months to 2 years. You are awarded a high school diploma after you successfully exhibit all your talents and complete the assigned tasks related to your work. The course duration depends upon the amount of time you take to develop the necessary talents and skills. As soon as you complete the entire task showing good performance you are eligible to get a high school diploma without paying any charges. However, this program is restricted to the residents of certain specified regions. Therefore to acquire this type of high school diploma you need to check out with the state education department office in your area.
Another type of program through which you can obtain a free high school diploma is for those who have experience in a volunteering field or hold experience in occupational or military service. You can either opt to attend classes conducted in the evenings or study on your own. You are given credit points for completing each assignment and session. After performing well in all your exams and demonstrating expected skills in the given tasks you become eligible to be awarded a high school diploma.
Alternatively, you can opt for GED tests and acquire a high school diploma. The GED testing system compares your performance on such tests to the results of Grade 12 students on the same tests. These tests take into account the skills and knowledge people are expected to retain from high school, especially the ability to reason, gather and process relevant information, and draw logical conclusions. On demonstrating such skills the General Education Department (GED) awards you a certificate, which is equivalent to a high school diploma. Again, this certificate can be obtained for free. In a number of states the State Board of Education (SBE) finances this program. This free high school diploma program helps students to clear the five-part exam without difficulty. This program is so popular that at times there are students who attend this program to sharpen their skills despite already holding a high school diploma.
However, when applying to a school or university for a free high school diploma you have to be very careful. There are many fraudulent online schools that cheat students. To be on a safer side try to find out a reputed and well-known school that offers a free high school diploma. With a high school diploma becoming so easy to obtain there is no reason why you too shouldn’t have one and qualify for a better job or a promotion in your current job.

For parents, back-to-school shopping for the various school supplies that their children need, can be a challenging task. Children invariably want school supplies that are covered in the latest cartoon characters, and parents end up having to a pay a premium for such products. Many parents who finally tire of spending so much money on school supplies eventually have a change in attitude towards shopping for educational supplies – they learn to be thrifty. Learning to be thrifty, however, does not mean not buying supplies that your child will need for school. Being thrifty means not paying as much for the same things. The dictionary definition of thrift is to practice economical management, and you can do so fairly easily if you know how. Back-to-school shopping is definitely one of the areas in which you can learn to be thrifty, and not spend exorbitant amounts of money on your child’s back-to-school supplies. The following things are some things you should know about being thrifty when shopping for back-to-school supplies. Look For Back-To-School Sales One of the best ways to save money is to shop for school supplies is at back-to-school sales. Many stores have sales on school supplies during the week or so before the new school year begins. Many items on your child’s back-to-school supply list will be offered at discounted prices during these sales. You should take the opportunity to stock up on school supplies that you know your child will need more of over the school year such as pens, pencils, paper, and other items. Look For Bargains On Ebay You will probably end up spending the most on items such as clothing and schoolbags when buying all the items on your child’s back-to-school supply list. One of the best and easiest ways to be thrifty when doing so is to buy such items from http://Ebay. com, the well-known auction site. On the site, you will find an enormous selection of clothing, shoes, bags, and accessories both used and new. Remember to do your shopping early, however, as the items have to be shipped to you and will take some time to arrive. Leave Your Child At Home When Shopping One of the best ways to stop yourself from spending more money than necessary on back-to-school supplies is to shop without your child. Brining your child along turns what might have been a fast and easy shopping trip into one that has your child clinging to you and begging for the latest designs and fashions. Instead of dealing with all that hassle, simply bring along your child’s back-to-school supply list, and tick each item off one by one. This way, you get your shopping done fast and you are able to exercise thriftiness by buying only necessary items. Simple Is Best Children love any item with their favorite television or cartoon character printed on it. These items are everywhere and are part of merchandising schemes meant to get parents to pay more for items that would cost a lot less without the decorations. In order to remain thrifty while buying your child’s school supplies, you should avoid buying such merchandise. Style Without The Brand A few decades ago, products under the brand name of Lisa Frank were being offered in stores. Lisa Frank was what is known as an “off brand” – their products were popular and fashionable but remained affordable. Many parents who are buying school supplies for their children now still remember that brand well. Now, however, Lisa Frank items are considerably more expensive and are considered “in fashion”. This just shows that items need not be expensive to be fun and stylish. Keep this in mind as you procure your child’s school supplies, and avoid paying premiums for branded items when there are other items that are just as fashionable and of the same quality. This will help you stay thrifty as you do your back-to-school shopping. In order to be thrifty as you complete your shopping for your child’s back-to-school supplies, you simply have to consider what you buy carefully. Avoid paying any more than you absolutely have to for the various school supplies that your child needs for school, and you will save a good deal of money.

Children usually ‘Walk’ to school and ‘Run’ when they return home. This is a universal phenomena and is tested and proven over time – from our grand parents to possibly our grand children – we see that during our initial days (formative years) we do not enjoy schooling like the way we enjoy during our school ending years (adolescence years). Home schooling provides great opportunity to children with learning disabilities and other ‘hesitant’ children
The merits of home schooling are many – the primary being that you are not compared even inadvertently with anyone around you – thereby saving a huge embarrassment and guilt. A child can learn at a pace that can be decided mutually between the child and the guide. A child can study what is appealing on that day. In a classroom, a child can’t expect or get individual attention and therefore the time it takes to complete a lesson is much higher when compared to a one on one session. In addition to all these advantages, a child need not go for ‘tutions’ which is an inevitable evil in Indian education system. Tutions are no different from Home schooling.
When we talk of tutions, I used to wonder about this concept. Typically, the tution teachers are the same individuals who teach in classrooms. Even the students are same. Even today, I fail to understand that if a child has to attend tutions after the school hours, then what is the purspose of going to school and attending to classes. No magic is taught in private tutions. Then why is ’tutions’ so important in today’s education system? If tutions are inevitable, then is schooling necessary? Is schooling needed only to the extent that any educational board demands an association with a school?
These thoughts are not new. These thoughts have been haunting educationists and socialists for a long time. So, new methods of home schooling have started getting recognised. The first of its kind is the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). A child need not attend classes at school – can continue to make arrangements to learn from home  – and can appear in the board examinations. A wonderful opportunity for children who can’t afford to spend their time and money in traditional school system. This type of education is economically affordable for the masses and for children closer to poverty line. The population in NIOS has kept a steady increase in these years and it is glad to see many children have fulfilled their dreams of completing their school education from home. We all know that at the university level, we have distance education program (Correspondence courses) where students can afford to join these courses without attending to colleges – and instead of wasting their time, such children employ themselves and earn their fees for such courses.
So?? am I driving to a point where we conclude traditional schooling is bad? Am I saying that schooling is a waste of time and energy? No- certainly not. No system can replace a traditional schooling model where a child learns to be a social being. A child undertstands the importance of good over bad, magnanimity, role modeling, leading, sports, games, competition and many more. But these should not stop education to a child who can’t afford to come to school – may be because of financial burden or due to any other reasons.
Home schooling is certainly a very good alternative to traditional schooling and paves way for many students to pursue graduation at affordable fees and time lines. We should be thankful to open schooling or home schooling systems without which we would have lost so many young minds in their formative years. Home schooling is therefore a wonderful opportunity and wherever possible, I would request the responsible people of the society to support and patronize home schooling.
Thanks and regards,
Dr. PM Anavaratham

Every year public school boards across the country debate the issue of implementing school dress regulations and what level they will enforce it. In an ever growing trend, the school uniform is being pushed as a way to stop violence and promote order in schools. Does it actually work?
So far, there is no proof that the way a child dresses for school will increase there ability to learn or to curb violence in the school setting. If your child?s school doesn?t have a uniform rule in place, it does have a dress code of some sort. All schools have a dress code, some school seem to enforce more strict rules than others but each year before the bell rings this topic comes up for debate.
This is not a new issue. This issue has been around as long as we as human beings started wearing clothing. Each religion and country has its own ?dress code? more stringently aimed at women 90% of the time.   If you ask the populous what their feelings are about some of the dress restriction in place in foreign countries, general consents will agree this is an oppression of freedom of expression. But if you refer to ?dress code? in schools it seems politically more correct. Ask any high school student and their response will definitely scream freedom violation.
The problem is that the school boards should not be spending their time making these decisions and enforcing them. The schools time and our tax dollars are better spent on educating the children in question rather than fashion critiquing. But they are! They are because the school board doesn?t feel parents are doing their job  anymore and are grasping at a way to get it back. The school system has lost the hold they once had on order in the classrooms. Sadly, the idea that a dress code or uniform will bring back the days of order in the classroom is very mistaken. The problem isn?t what the kids are wearing; it is what they are or are not learning in school and at home. It?s a society issue that has been growing for years. Regardless the dress code pro?s and con?s debate will continue so we have to look at the issues.
What is reasonable? How should it be enforced? Is it a breach of freedom?
Some of these rules are forged from common sense; some are old etiquette and some I have not found a reasonable explanation for. Here are some of the restrictions in debate:
- No hair bands, kerchiefs
- No caps or hats
- No unnatural hair colors
- No make-up
- Big jewelry
- No flip-flops or sandals without a strap at the back
- No outdoor shoes that make black marks on the floor
- No tank tops or spaghetti strap tops that show shoulders or arm pits
- No shirts showing the midriff or belly button
- No shirts with offensive language or promoting violence
- No shirts or shorts above the knees
- No pants with underwear showing
It?s common sense that if movie and TV have to bleep out the adult language and violence as a rating that wearing an offensive language t-shirt would be offensive and shoes that leave black marks are damaging school property, both of these rules I can agree on 100%. T-shirts with ?Harley Davidison? or a skeleton is not dangerous just artistic to some. Kerchiefs have been banned from wearing because of its being used by inner city gangs as a way to indentify gang allegiance. Being a parent of a child attending a small rural school where this is not an issue for grade school children, I find the rule odd to even spend time enforcing. But if it helps save lives by banning bandanas then I am definitely in agreement with it. The need to remove gang activity and violence from the school setting should be a top priority but we need so much more than a dress code to do that.
Removing your hat when you are inside was an etiquette rule centuries old. Men removed their hats indoors as a polite gesture and in reverence when entering church. This etiquette rule is lost to the new generation. They see hat wearing as fashion and a way to hide bad hair and nothing else. So when adults tell them it?s rude to wear their hat inside they don?t understand. I mean it?s only a hat; it?s not really rude to wear a hat. It?s just something of the older generation understands the meaning of and has no stands in today. How can we remove so many more important traditions such as sing the ?National Anthem? every morning and tell children a several hundred year old hat rules still applies?
The same goes with clothing etiquette. I personally do not allow my daughter to go to school in clothing I find too revealing. As a parent I get a few years to have a say in some of her dressing choices because I pay for them that gives me a little leverage as a parent. The school board on the other hand does not pay for her clothing and therefore I feel they should have limited say. As a young girl, I wore cute sundresses my mother handmade for me, they had spaghetti straps, they showed my shoulders and my arm pits and there was never an issue. Were they inappropriate to wear? Well even the strictest of teachers never said a peep about them other than to compliment my mother?s sewing skills. But today my daughter is not allowed to wear the same attire because apparently showing her shoulders might distract the boys from learning. Give me a break! If the girl were dresses in blouses up to their necks and long skirts with petticoats the reaction would be the same. Actually I believe if you read ?Anne of Green Gables? you?d see even then school was a melting pot of hormone reactions between boys and girls. How they dressed did not change the fact ?boys will be boys? and ?girls will be girls? whatever the fashion. Back then showing your ankle was the dress code issue, things don?t change.
The responsibility for clothing decisions needs to be left to parents, not schools. As much as I feel some of today?s fashion is quite wild and not to my taste, I do not believe the power to decide what my children wear should be in the hands of the School Board. In the end it all comes down to a matter of personal opinion. I believe everyone, children alike deserve right to express themselves through their style. Living in a democratic country where I strongly believe in supporting freedom of expression, these beliefs outweigh my personal fashion preferences.   Living in a country where we have choices and a voice is the reason this debate will probably continue every school year for generations to come.
© 2008 This article was written by Sharon Graves MacRae