School Uniforms: Who Cares?

Steve at Southern Appeal gets into it with Will Baude of Crescat Sententia over school uniforms. Will responded to Steve's first post (which admittedly only stated a preference for uniforms versus BS regulation of t-shirts with unfavored messages) with this stirring plea for freedom.

Uniforms are for scouting, cheerleading, sports, and professionals, IMHO. I went to a public school, and did not wear a uniform. I wore what I wanted to. For a while, I wore a coat and tie every day, combined with a distinctive hat. I always paid attention in class (well, mostly always). I loved it when the cheerleaders would wear their uniforms; we had an unofficial "no ugly cheerleaders" rule, similar to the "no clumsy athletes" rule that everyone remembers. And we had some fine looking cheerleaders. But I digress.

Personally, I don't care if the kids are uniformed. It wouldn't have bothered me any in school. I'm frankly a little more troubled by kids bringing weapons to school, although I always carried a pocket knife.

But what really bugs me is that neither Steve nor Will has seen fit to mention the wholly inappropriate use of tax dollars to educate people through compulsory schooling. If you took out the kids who don't want to learn, those who did would learn better. There are studies showing this somewhere, but I'm too lazy to find them. I don't like paying taxes for public schools, especially since teachers don't have to have degrees in the subjects they're teaching, but instead have to have education degrees. But that argument is for another day.

There are much bigger problems with schools that school uniforms won't solve. If I ever have kids, I'm going to home school them.

Mississippi Judicial Scandal Update

The AP reports that Justice Diaz and Jennifer Diaz's attorneys have filed motions to dismiss with the US District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, Jackson Division. Among their arguments is my favorite, that the US Attorney has overstepped his bounds by attempting to prosecute a campaign finance case, which is a misdemeanor.

Reminds me of one of my favorite Simpsons episodes, when the Judge Harm sentences Homer and Bart to be tethered together. At the end, Lisa saves the day when the regular city judge, whose name I cannot recall, appears after his fishing trip, and Lisa moves for a motion of "Boys will be boys," which is, of course, granted.

I'm fairly certain that Judge Wingate will be responsive to the defense's motion to dismiss if the US Attorney cannot pony up the requisite proof, but I am also fairly certain that Judge Wingate would not have let the charges go if they were in fact outside of the US Attorney's authority.

Despite my better judgment, I hereby add Wonkette to my blogroll. The last thing I need is more political commentary, but this is so good, I'll take it.

The Fifth Circuit affirms Judge Biggers in Ayers v. Barbour. This is the famous university desegregation case that has been haunting Mississippi for thirty-odd years.

Maybe the aggrieved appellants will try to seek certiorari, but I hope not. This ruling puts Mississippi one step closer to resolving its race-related problems.

The highly amusing Founding Father quiz is back.

This time, I am

Which Founding Father Are You?

Last time, I was Alexander Hamilton.

Will wonders never cease? :D