>> Ala., makes its students and staff sign a pre-graduation contract agreeing not to wear “extraneous items during graduation exercises unless approved by the administration.” <<
.
How can arbitrary, and thuggish fiat actions like this be lawful?
We are not supposed to be a regimented society, and personal touches should be encouraged, not punished.
.
. How can arbitrary, and thuggish fiat actions like this be lawful?
No, not "Ala. makes it students . . .," but, rather the Escambia Academy High School in Atmore, Alabama -- a private school -- does so.
I might myself not think too much of such a policy, or, at least, the way it is enforced, but the action is neither "arbitrary" -- the prohibition is spelled out in the school's handbook -- nor, to my mind, "thuggish." No one is forced to attend this particular private school in Alabama, even if they are forced to attend school.
The school has its own standards, explains them to its students (whose parents pay for the privilege of their children attending), and imposes penalties for specified violations of those standards. So far as that goes, I don't have a problem with it, myself.
It is a private Christian school - that's how it can be legal. We are not supposed to be a regimented society, and personal touches should be encouraged, not punished.
There are limits, and this school decided it didn't want to deal with all possible expressions of personal identity as part of the graduation. The graduation ceremony is to celebrate one thing - not to celebrate each student's individual quirks, but to celebrate their completion of high school.