Fashion That Works ... or Not.

Fashion That Works ... or Not. She looks like a punk nightmare, but you need to place her in aninternship. How do you teach workplace behaviors to a youth culture thatdresses to distress? A joke's a joke. When Texas home economics teacher MaryBroadway spun a tall tale recently, students threw back their heads andlaughed. Glints of metal from within two boys' mouths caught herattention. They weren't like dental fillings. The boys didn'twear braces. For the first time in more than 20 years of teaching,Broadway found herself staring at--tongue studs. "I said, `Are you crazy? Why did you do that?'"recalls Broadway, teacher coordinator of Home Economics CareerPreparation at Midway High School Midway High School is the only high school in Midway Independent School District of the Waco, Texas area. Although the school is located in southwestern Waco, most students live in the suburbs of Woodway and Hewitt. , just outside Waco. Vocational teachers around the country are colliding withincreasingly nutty fashion statements from students inspired by hip hop hip-hop? or hip hopn.1. A popular urban youth culture, closely associated with rap music and with the style and fashions of African-American inner-city residents.2. Rap music.adj. ,shock rock and an apparent desire to trigger heart attacks. Frightfulface paint and black lipstick; eyebrows, navels, noses and lips sportingan array of rings, studs and spikes; body tattoos going mainstream;oversized o��ver��size?n.1. A size that is larger than usual.2. An oversize article or object.adj. o��ver��size also o��ver��sizedLarger in size than usual or necessary. , baggy jeans hanging precariously from hips. Educators' efforts to fight back extend all the way to schooluniforms, a solution applauded by President Clinton but not the AmericanCivil Liberties Union American Civil Liberties Union(ACLU), nonpartisan organization devoted to the preservation and extension of the basic rights set forth in the U.S. Constitution. . If you are a vocational teacher who bemoans thelack of decorum DECORUM. Proper behaviour; good order. 2. Decorum is requisite in public places, in order to permit all persons to enjoy their rights; for example, decorum is indispensable in church, to enable those assembled, to worship. among your young charges, cheer up. They probably willoutgrow outgrowverb To change the relationship with a condition or structure by dint of ↑ age or size; while children outgrow clothing, and certain behaviors, they rarely outgrow diseases–eg, asthma it (although, in the case of the tattoos and body piercing body piercingBody image A disruption of a mucocutaneous surface with jewelry or dangling artifices. See Tattoos. , notwithout difficulty). Meanwhile there are steps you can take to make themlook employable. Also, take heart in the fact that Mary Broadway'spierced-tongued students did have jobs--as waiters--and that in manycases, teachers and even employers sport styles on the job that oncewould have been unthinkable. Job cultures differ wildly and changeconstantly. If students choose a career and emulate its culture,teachers, parents, and communities can congratulate themselves on a jobwell done. The finest fashion, after all, is the one that works. From flower power to firepower The stereotype of the slovenly slov��en��ly?adj.1. Untidy, as in dress or appearance.2. Marked by negligence; slipshod. See Synonyms at sloppy.slov student goes back at least severalcenturies. Some trace our more recent school fashion clashes to the'60s--as in the long-haired, mini-skirted 1960s. "That periodsort of messed things up," says Bernard Minnis, director ofSchool-to-Career Initiatives in the Jefferson County Jefferson County is the name of 25 counties and one parish in the United States. The following are named for Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States: Jefferson County, Alabama Jefferson County, Arkansas Jefferson County, Colorado (Kentucky) PublicSchools. "It opened up too many freedoms." John Lammel, associate executive director of the Reston,Virginia-based National Association of Secondary School Principals The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is a United States educational advocacy organization consisting of secondary school principals. To promote excellence among middle school and high school students, NASSP founded and still sponsors the National Honor ,personally attests to a few decades of struggle. "As a high schoolprincipal for 26 years, we talked about clothing every year,"Lammel says. "I go back even to that business of whether girlsshould be allowed to wear slacks." Participants in those angry debates of yesteryear yes��ter��year?n.1. The year before the present year.2. Time past; yore.yes could not haveforeseen how trivial they'd soon seem. Today's clothingcontroversies often reflect society's spookier side. At Midway High School near Waco, a new dress code passed lastsummer was fueled by safety consciousness (or paranoia, depending onyour point of view). The 5,700-student district made world headlinesthis summer when it passed a new dress code that banned shirts, jackets,or coats that extended below midthigh length. Explains J.D. Kennedy,assistant superintendent Assistant Superintendent, or Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), was a rank used by police forces in the British Empire. It was usually the lowest rank that could be held by a European officer, most of whom joined the police at this rank. , "It's very easy to hide a rifle, oreven a shotgun, if you have a long coat. A rifle or shotgun can do moredamage than a handgun." Dress codes once relied upon to keep little imps looking tidy nowserve as bloodshed-preventing safety measures safety measures,n.pl actions (e.g., use of glasses, face masks) taken to protect patients and office personnel from such known hazards as particles and aerosols from high-speed rotary instruments, mercury vapor, radiation exposure, anesthetic and . Schools around thecountry have banned provocative clothing items, such as baggy pants,caps, jackets, or bandannas popular with gang members; and backpacks,other than the see-through kind, where drugs or weapons could bestashed. Such paranoia is perhaps justified in the wake of a rash ofshootings perpetrated by students against their classmates Classmates can refer to either: Classmates.com, a social networking website. Classmates (film), a 2006 Malayalam blockbuster directed by Lal Jose, starring Prithviraj, Jayasurya, Indragith, Sunil, Jagathy, Kavya Madhavan, Balachandra Menon, ... and teachers.It also can taint taintan unpleasant odor and flavor in a human foodstuff of animal origin. Caused by the ingestion of the substance, commonly a plant such as Hexham scent, or while in storage, e.g. milk stored with pineapples, or as a result of animal metabolism, e.g. boar taint. all students, however slightly. Job-seeking vocationalstudents today may need to overcome an automatic prejudice against youngpeople that they, as individuals, did nothing to cause. The ACLU ACLU:see American Civil Liberties Union. disagrees with many of the latest school dress codes for just thisreason. The Midway policy banning long coats "assumes thateverybody is a potential weapons carrier," says Emily Whitfield,national ACLU spokesperson. "That is not what our country isabout." The ACLU opposes most efforts by schools to impose dress codes thatban particular types of garb (such as the fright makeup inspired byshock rocker Marilyn Manson For his band, see Marilyn Manson (band).Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), better known by his stage name Marilyn Manson, is an American musician and artist known for his outrageous stage persona and image as the lead singer of the ). The group mostly scoffs at concerns aboutsafety or distractions, saying those reasons don't justify theresulting blows to freedom of expression. Perhaps the boy with shaved head and spiderweb (tool) Spiderweb - A program for creating versions of Knuth's WEB self-documenting programs ("literate programming").ftp://princeton.edu/. tattoos may simplybe too immature to realize that in most lines of work, theextraterrestrial look won't fly. As teachers of youngsters likethis, vocational educators should reinforce whatever dress code theschool has, using an attitude that's sympathetic yet firm. It mayhelp to bring in representatives from several professions to discuss howcolleagues at work look and behave. Or it may be possible to adopt partof the curriculum used by Central High Magnet Career Academy inLouisville, Ky. A school that attracts teens from around the city, Central Highdraws kids with keen interests in work. The youngsters declare majors,and they specialize in law, veterinary science, medicine, dentistry,culinary arts or other fields. Like most teens, they come with abuilt-in fashion sense that escapes most members of older generations.But from the first day of classes, teachers hammer home the necessity ofblending in with the workplace of choice. Since students must spend 20hours shadowing a role model, the right style is obvious. On Thursdays, Central High students are asked to come to schooldressed as though they already worked in their chosen field. Teenlawyers wear suits, as do budding bankers and financiers. Medicallyinclined youngsters don white smocks. During the summer, the city barassociation provides $600 clothing stipends to students who landinternships in prestigious firms. They are expected to show up at theoffice looking like younger versions of their bosses. "Initially we had mild resistance (to the dresspolicies)," recalls Principal Harold Fenderson. "But once kidsunderstand the culture, you move them toward success. It becomes part oftheir understanding in terms of `If I'm going to be able to do aninternship, receive the compensation or have a shadowing experience or amentor, I'm going to have to make the adjustment.'"Proper dress also affects their grade. Debating uniformity More and more public schools are trying uniforms on for size. Thefederal government, from President Clinton on down, promotes them. Since1987, when Cherry Hill Cherry Hill,township (1990 pop. 69,319), Camden co., W central N.J.; name was changed from Delaware township to Cherry Hill in 1961. Largely residential, Cherry Hill has been marked by great development and housing growth, especially since the 1970s. Elementary School elementary school:see school. in Baltimore gained fame forits early adoption of school uniforms, districts large and small havefollowed suit. Every school day, armies of public school children marchoff to class in pleated skirts, khaki pants, white blouses or shirts,blazers or a more modernized version of conformity. (Though most stillbuy whatever brands of shoes and jackets they want, so uniformsdon't totally eliminate expressions of individuality and classconsciousness.) Many contemporary versions of school uniforms arepictured in a Land's End Land's End,promontory, Cornwall, SW England, forming the westernmost extremity of the English mainland. Of wave-carved granite, it has cliffs c.60 ft (20 m) high. Offshore are reefs and rocky islets, on one of which is Longships Lighthouse. catalog launched last year that'sdevoted entirely to school uniforms. If they want, parents can orderitems with the school logo. A survey conducted in February by the National Association ofElementary School Principals and Lands' End For other uses, see Land's End (disambiguation) Lands' End is a clothing retailer based in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, that specializes in casual clothing, luggage, and home furnishings. shows uniform appealgaining popularity. Of 958 elementary and middle school principals in 10states, 13 percent already implemented a uniform policy and another 14percent were considering it. Among their reasons: safety, discipline,economic differences, reduce distractions, set higher standards anddiscourage gang activities. In 1994, the Long Beach Unified School District The Long Beach Unified School District is a school district headquartered in Long Beach, California.LBUSD serves most of Long Beach, all of the city of Signal Hill, and portions of Lakewood, and Paramount, as well as Avalon and Two Harbors on Catalina Island. in Californiabecame the nation's first large, urban district to require all itselementary and middle school students to wear uniforms. School crime hasplunged 76 percent since, says spokesperson Dick Van Der Laan.Attendance is the highest it's been since 1980. Can the uniformpolicy take the credit? "Very definitely," Van Der Laan says."Uniforms send the message, `You are in the business oflearning.'" Two of the challenges that are raised against public schooluniforms revolve around Verb 1. revolve around - center upon; "Her entire attention centered on her children"; "Our day revolved around our work"center, center on, concentrate on, focus on, revolve about freedom of choice and money. Generally speaking,successful schools provide parents with the right to "opt out"of the uniform requirement. They also make sure the uniforms areaffordable for everyone. Uniforms are likeliest to win approval ifsupported by representatives from all constituencies--faculty,administration, students and community. Until recently, uniforms were limited to elementary and middleschools. High schools, and thus vocational students old enough to seekjobs, are just beginning to try them. (For a look at high-fashionuniforms, see "Uniformly Stylish".) Van Der Laan predicts anemployment bonanza. "They will find themselves with more doorsopening to good jobs," he says. But the ACLU's Whitfield doubts whether older teens willsurrender their clothing freedom so meekly. "I think it actuallyhurts the morale of students who are trying to express themselves,"she says. And as for vocational students, "Your employerdoesn't necessarily want to see you coming to work with pink spikedhair and a safety pin through your ear, but while you're in school,it's time for you to learn and experiment, and that's what thefocus should be." Nobody--not even the ACLU--disagrees with the wisdom of requiringvocational students to dress safely in light of their jobs. Youngstersnear heavy machinery might be barred from wearing rings or baggyclothing, for example. High-heeled shoes don't make sense onslippery floors or in jobs that require a lot of standing. A flowingscarf worn near a laminating machine could spell disaster. But the definition of what clothing is safe or unsafe has broadenedto an unimagined extent. A harmless pair of tennis shoes could provefatal to the wearer if a knife-wielding classmate wants them. By thesame token, the range of what's acceptable in the workplace alsohas expanded. Vocational teachers should understand this, even as theystrive to convey the importance of situationally appropriate dress. As Broadway, the Texas home economics teacher, observes,"Students will dress up for grades or money. Our society'slike that." RELATED ARTICLE: Uniformly Stylish New York City New York City:see New York, city. New York CityCity (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. fashion designers tackled school uniforms this year.The designers won. As a school project, budding designers received free rein toadminister a full makeover to the pleated-and-plaid standards loathed byprivate school youngsters everywhere. In the process, the uniformsbecame unrecognizable, which many saw as a blessing. "All of our models are kids, and they were thrilled with whatwe did," says Joanne Arbuckle, project leader and assistantprofessor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, a New York New York, state, United StatesNew York,Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of publicschool. "Their comment was, `Why can't our uniforms look likethis?'" Why not? A cynic cyn��ic?n.1. A person who believes all people are motivated by selfishness.2. A person whose outlook is scornfully and often habitually negative.3. would reply that the designer garments wereinsufficiently itchy itch��yadj.Having or causing an itching sensation. , hot and boring. A more practical reason could bethat few schools favor eye-popping purples, pinks and oranges as theirofficial colors. Then there's fabric. How many PTA PTAor parent-teacher association:see parent education. members wanttheir kids racing around in fake fur? Even the most charming,Dalmatian-spotted print? Or colorful suedes cut into a cowboy theme?Striped Lycra bike shorts might not appeal to school-boardtraditionalists either--even when topped by a short, heather-blue jumperand a burnt orange, suede jacket. Far-out by any standards, nevertheless, the chic, colorful outfitscould be modified into uniforms, if a forward-thinking school chose todo it. By approving "a collection," and allowing students tomix and match pieces from it, the school might satisfy youngsters'need to express themselves while simultaneously setting a dress code. Atleast, that's Arbuckle's hypothesis, one she acknowledgesseems ahead of its time. "Some people will never get it," she says withresignation. "That's why some of the uniforms kids have towear today look the way they do." Tibbett L. Speer is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C.