PLATFORM : Gone Too Far

Imagine someone dictating what your children should wear to school without the knowledge, opinion or consent of the parent. In Tustin, and other school districts in Orange and Los Angeles counties, it’s happening.

School boards are reviewing dress-code policies designed by board members to “protect our kids from the growing gang threat.” In some cases, this list of banned clothing is so extensive, it reminds me of those awful gill nets--it covers much more than its declared intent. More importantly and probably most disturbing, is that often these policies are made at the exclusion of parental, teacher and student input. (Consider) the support our schools receive by the hundreds and thousands of dollars in contributions and hours of volunteer time made by parents.

There’s no question that we as a community must confront and solve the growing crisis of gangs in our cities and schools. But we must solve the problem not by focusing on their uniforms, but their desperate cries for help.