Pal-Item.com (Richmond, Ind.) reports
Hundreds of irate parents challenged Richmond Community Schools' controversial dress code during Wednesday's school board meeting, asking what solid-colored clothes have to do with succeeding in school.
Their anger, which was in response to new rules prohibiting students from wearing clothes with any distinguishing marks, including stripes, logos, plaid or floral prints, delayed regular board business for more than three hours.
"Her plaids and her stripes, they don't affect her grades," parent Steven Morris said.
As he and others spoke, chants of "ridiculous" and "you're in the wrong, you know it" filled Richmond High School's cafeteria, which was used as a meeting place to accommodate the overflowing crowd.
"The ones I believe are hurt most by this are the elementary children," parent Gene Nolte said. "The kindergarteners and first graders just coming into the school system, they don't understand, I can't wear Winnie the Pooh.
"As they grow up, with all this strict, strict, strict (enforcement) they are going to rebel," he said.
The school board approved revisions to RCS' dress code by a 5-2 vote in May after school officials said they were unable to enforce a less restrictive code last school year. Why? To create a "culture of success" that focuses students on learning instead of fashion.
Thanks to Jonathan Turley
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