KIDS MAKING A FASHION STATEMENT

Teenagers today have a lot to complain about. Society, parents and schools expect a lot from them and the teens feel like they’re being taken advantage of. Parents actually expect them to be respectful, not to burn down the house, put their siblings in the washer for laughs and occasionally clean up their rooms. There’s no fun in that. Even if they behave many are expected to be satisfied with a three year old Mercedes and not the newest model. Sometimes their cell phone, I pod or computer games are out of style and they catch hell from peers. Why children in kindergarten need cell phones is beyond the Geezer’s comprehension.

At school, teens are expected to actually study and learn things. Some school districts insist that they read books. Reading books is for geeks and nerds. Who the heck wants to strain their eyes reading books like: “All About Guppies, Who’s Who in Saudi Arabia 1978-79, How Can I Relate to My Juicer”? If that isn’t bad enough, certain School Districts are now instituting dress codes for their students. This is America not some dictatorship.

Arlington, Texas’ school district has gone too far according to the boys and girls attending their High Schools. It wasn’t bad enough that they banned kids from showing up to school looking like gang bangers and Hell’s Angels. Three schools actually refused to allow light-in-the-loafer boys from wearing pinafores. The Arlington district has expanded its dress codes to include mouths – and earlobes.
Students may no longer wear mouth jewelry known as “grillz” – shinny teeth caps – or the earlobe-stretching practice known as “gauging.” Remember when we were young and wore braces to straighten our teeth so we wouldn’t be teased about eating corn on the cob through a fence?

“The district has to respond to fads because they’ve become distracters or a safety hazard for those around them,” said the district’s executive director. Can you imagine objecting to kids trying to stretch their earlobes by hanging dumbbells and anvils from them? Students said the body modifications are simply self-expression and if they want to look like Ubangi’s its no one’s business. If they want to look like that 7-foot villain from Bond movies who had a mouth full of metal teeth whose business is it?

School officials said they hope to teach students that life would require them to follow specific regulations in specific settings. “We want to instill in them a sense of modesty and a sense of community. We’re preparing them for the work force, and in the work force there are rules.” When did that happen?

The thing that is most interesting is why parents would allow their off springs to look even dumber and uglier than they normally do? Bring back the good old days of zits and poodle dresses.