Gothwear Update: Brevard Changes Policy

Since when is Goth and Wiccan synonymous? This seems like a cop-out to me. A lot of people wear goth style clothing and even more wiccans and pagans wear natural clothing, not black. Were she in trouble for wearing natural fibers, birkenstocks or a pentacle then I might be more concerned.

I am soooooo lucky that Goth styles weren’t available when I was in high school; I was a poet, a loner, and I dabbled in different religions, even explored what I could find of witchcraft back then (which was ordering those voodoo/witchy catalogs from the back pages of the Enquirer). I would have been in black so fast it would make the head spin! Teens are usually drawn to extremes, so I understand the need of dress codes. It’s good to know this case was resolved peacefully, without a lawsuit.

I think that anything distracting to learning should be not allowed. I think that the schools are in charge and should be able to make rules on clothing at their leasure as long as it does not get out of control. Many of the goth style clothing is pretty distracting and noisy. But you really dont notice it after a while.

I understand somethings related with “Goth” culture, but singling out of the rocker types by officials in schools is common. At my school all last year the rocker/goth kids were singled out while the other who violated the dress code were not, and the rocker/goths in my school don’t.

Wyldmuse, unless you were in high school prior to say 1979 then Goth was around. It was there LOOONG before the media made us the scapegoat for everything from satanism to Columbine.

I agree with the poster who said ‘Since when is Goth and Wiccan synonymous?’

In college I dressed Goth, but was not Wiccan or a Witch. I was a happily delusional presbyterian. But I liked the LOOK of the Goth culture, and I enjoyed the underground indie music that came with it.

To me it seems that this young girl is trying for an excuse similar to other religious cultures that wear certain clothing and head pieces, even though they can be distracting, are allowed in the classroom because they are ‘religious’.

The only thing, in my mind, that would be a religious piece is my athame and I am not wearing that on my person. I certainly would not be bringing that out in public for all to see, touch and comment on.

TT
A

To all that posted “since when is goth clothes associated with wiccans?” Well Amaris is my daughter and I am Pagan.I just wanted to add,Goth clothing has been usued in the pagan and wiccan communities for years,we just never labled it “Goth” back than.I wear all colors of clothes,but mostly black. Amaris feels closer to her Goddess by dressing in darker clothing. If you want to check out more about styles of clothing, please check out Raven’s website.Raven is the author of “Goth Craft”and he will explain the rest.His web site is ravendigitalis.com. You can leave him questions.Amaris was also asked to remove her pentacle @ school,that is why we went in front of the school board.Have a great day and Blessed be.

To Cimone -

I am fifty years old, and I wear black most of the time. I love black and feel comfortable wearing it, whether skirts, dresses, or pants.

I receive comments fom my family, my neighbors and (especially) my former psychiatrist. He thinks that my wearing black is a sign of depression.

The color black is EMPOWERING to me. I feel best when I wear it. I am a late-bloomer to Wicca, but not to worship of the MOTHER.

This is the first time I have ever felt the need to write to a “comment board.” I wish you all the best! Blessed Be!

Jen

Schools need to have some discretion to prevent disruption (I don’t think any clothing worn in school, whatever name you call it, should have spikes or razor blades, and I’ve seen both) but singling out “Goth” kids and not skatepunks or hiphoppers is short-sighted. It continues a pattern of bullying and discrimination against those kids that identify with that lifestyle.

However, I also disagree with there being a religious connection between Goth lifestyle or clothing and Wicca. They’re two separate issues, and that’s a lame and incorrect argument.

Should have added: Some Goths are Wiccans, some Wiccans are Goth. Some Wiccans are also soccer moms, or overweight middle aged women like me who love olive green and purple. If you identify with Wicca AND the Goth lifestyle, it’s what’s known as co-incidence: Two unrelated things happening at the same time. The only connection that’s relevant is that you are the person you are, and not afraid to be different, whether it’s in dress or religious belief. I don’t mean to criticize; I celebrate strong people like that.

Distracting to learning, give me a break, clothes don’t distract kids from learning. What they are going to be so busy gawking at someone with piercings that they can’t listen to the teacher? If that is the case they need help learning how to live in society. Short of bare breasts, nothing is going to be more distracting than the cute chic in her T-shirt is. And just because Wiccan & Goth aren’t synonymous doesn’t mean she doesn’t consider it an expression of her religious beliefs. Some express their relgion through nudity, others through special robes, why is it less legit for her to express it through goth clothing? Maybe she follows a dark path. With no dogma that means we are free to choose what feels right for us to express our beliefs.

In my old high school they tried to suspend me for wearing my penticle to school. They called it satinism and said I must belong to a cult. They tried to take my necklace from me but I told them they should have to take all other religious symbols from other students as well, including crosses. They finally changed their decision but it was only after I gave a presentation on what wicca was really about.

I am so tired of being singled out for being Goth! Alot of little anoerexic preps run around wearing basically bikinis and all they get is, “Put a sweater on” I follow the dress code but in Goth style and I get suspended because I can’t express myself!

I don’t consider myself goth, because I don’t generally dress the part. That said the darker lifestyles are certainly where I linger. I like rich, vibrant colors, and detest lighter colors and pastels.

To Cimone: Thank you and Amaris for your struggle and suffering. Both of your strength is a beacon of warmth to communities (Pagan and Goth alike) that are used to being discriminated against. It takes people who stand up for themselves, who challenge cultural mores, and declare to the world ‘This is who I am!’ to create change. And creating change is one of the primary (if often unspoken) tenets of pagan culture. (The concept of Will, is in it’s core about change, about creating the world through your will.)

I recognize the right for schools to create safe learning environments. I think its important. That said, school administrators have a habit of having their heads up their asses. They have difficult jobs and they tend to make poor decisions out of fear and detestation for anyone different.

It often comes down to a support of the social hierarchy. Goths are (these days) even below the nerds on the social totem pole, and when administrators put discriminatory policies like this into place, they strengthen and support that harmful structure. Why? Because they in some part buy into it. They see that these kids are shunned and picked on and always in trouble, and instead of trying to understand the reasons they just assume ‘There must be a reason they’re hated by everyone.’ That assumption leads to these bans and restrictions of expression.

Dress codes stifle free speech, self-expression and creativity. Dress codes are just a tool used to force conformity.

The way our kids dress, isn’t the a school problem. The school should worry about what they are teaching our kids. Freedom! being American! (From a teacher her comment) If you can’t read, do yourself a favor, commit suicide. Wicca or goth, how you dress is your business. School used to be were you learned and could be safe?

I am so happy that both my children have graduated!as long as they all follow the dress code,things are cool!Noones better than the next!

It’s sad that, as many of here have already expressed, stereotyping is at the crux of the school’s decision to ban gothic dress. Sadder still is fact that stereotyping doesn’t ending with high school graduation. Case in point:
I recently graduated from college with a degree in Anthropology. In one of my upper-level anthropology courses, a discussion on the belief in magic in primitive societies was the topic of the day. During this discussion, a fellow student asked if the belief in magic in these societies was the same/similar to the modern practice of Wicca. The professor, a very learned man in my opinion, began to answer this question, but when he got to the Wicca part he was at a loss and then said, “Well, maybe Isabeau (me) can answer this better than I can.” I was a little shocked, but began explaining the differences as best as I knew them.
The problem was/is I am not Wiccan…I simply wore black to 9 out of 10 classes.
I am not gothic in fashion, or make-up, or hair. I am in my late 30’s with long red hair, a small discrete nose piercing (tiny gold stud) and the black clothing was fashionable, black slacks and knit tops and chunky black platform shoes (all suitable to say…work in a bank). After class, I asked this professor why he had made the assumption that I knew anything about Wicca; he replied it was because I always dressed in black. I laughed and replied that I wore black because it was slimming, not as a declaration of religious persuasion.
Unfortunately, we can’t control what people think. Although I had expected more from a professor of anthropology…after all, it is our job to study culture unbiasedly.

I am almost exclusively dressed in black, daily. I feel good and can cope better with day to day activities wearing black. As a young girl, ma mother never allowed us to wear black as to her it is associated with mourning the deceased.Now, with 3 teen aged daughters, most our clothing are black, and it has nothing to do with being Wiccan. It’s comfotable. In our schools there are so many disruptions, as the recent teacher’s strike,stabbings and last year a shooting. All the government schools and most private schools in S.A., pupils have a set uniform. Even that doesnt stop life from happening. We are truly blessed to have the freedom to wear and say what we want.Most of all the beauty around us.Blessed Be.

I am almost exclusively dressed in black, daily. I feel good and can cope better with day to day activities wearing black.

Betty, i feel the exact same way.

I think dress codes are ridiculous- if you are covered in the right places, why should anyone care what color you wear? I am a parent and a wiccan and I have always had a problem with the thought of school officials telling my children what to wear.I am hopeful this case will have positive effects on other schools’ dress policies.