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Date:         Sun, 13 Dec 1992 19:29:28 GMT
              <EDPOLYAN@ASUACAD.BITNET>
From:         Kevin@LEMOORE.ATI.COM
Subject:      Re: Hats at School

Wow! What an interesting thread of discussion I started. I'm glad!
I have to be honest though, even though I posted the questions I tended,
and still do, to agree that asking students not to wear hats is a rule
that could and probably should be passed up. However, there are a
couple of points that I'd like to address as they struck a cord.

First, on the issue of student rights at school. I agree that we need
to teach students to respect the rights of others and how to properly
deal with keeping their rights in perspective. However, there are
many students who have yet to learn this and, because of their attitude
towards adults and school, will probably never learn it. As educators,
we must look to educating all students. And, when you have over a
thousand students on a campus, many of whom do not wish to be there,
you have to make certain decisions in order to make sure that the
educational climate is the best. When students begin to abuse a right,
such as wearing hats, bothering others because of their style
of hats, starting fights because someone knocked their hat off, and
in general using their hat to try and show they are *in control*,
that right needs to be looked at closely and possibly taken away.
School can not always be the place where all rights are given as many
students have not yet learned to properly handle having such rights.
I agree with many, however, that we need to have programs, and integrated
lessons, which train and teach students to handle the increased freedoms
that come along with an increase in rights. The problem I often see
today is that many students push the boundries of respect too far,
and, they get away with it because their parents don't support nor
possibly have themselves, the moral understanding of ethics. In my
years as an educator, I am seeing the appropriate behavior of students
decline. I don't think you can contribute this to an increase in rules
and demands on the part of educators. In fact, I'm seeing the opposite.
Educators are no longer allowed the power to really enforce school
rules. As many of us can remember, I believe it was much worse in
times past. I can still remember vividly getting hit with a ruler
over the knuckles, swats of my behind, and standing in corners  :-)

Second, several made the comment that teachers and administrators
need to be concerned about other things and they often worry too much
about the wrong things. I have heard this several times when related
to discussions on this list and others. I can't help but resent this
comment as I believe strongly that we all want the educational processes
and system to be the best possible. This means looking at *all* the
issues that influence what we do. After careful thought it may become
apparent that an issue is not as important as previously thought.
However, we all have unique situations that often times demands a
solution to something that might otherwise be trivial in another.


Third, many have suggested that wearing or not wearing a hat indoors
should not be an item of discussion and we as educators shouldn't
be caught up in demanding such ethics, especially when other cultures
don't require it. I agree that many of these *issues* don't effect
the education in the classroom, however, they do effect us all. Someday
these students are going to have to compete in an extremely competitive
environment. How they are perceived in the environment may very well
decide if they are employed or not. But, it goes even deeper, how
a student perceives his/her self has a great deal to do with their
self-esteem and ability. Does strong morals and ethics contribute
to a better attitude about self? I think so, although you may find
examples of students who have taken this to the extreme and have not
done well under the pressure.

When it has all been said and done on this list concerning this topic, and
I hope we are not done just yet, I think we will have all gained little
more of the vision for how to best educate our children. I really
appreciate the opportunity to share a concern and receive such great
advise. It may not always be along the lines that I feel, but, it
spreads my vision a little bit more.

Thanks everyone!


************************************************************
* Kevin Kurtz                  |    Pamela Kurtz           *
* Lemoore Elementary School    |    Pamela@lemoore.ati.com *
* 100 Vine St.                 |                           *
* Lemoore, CA                  |     209-924-3479 School   *
* kevin@lemoore.ati.com        |     209-924-5975          *
************************************************************
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