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The Pinellas Board of nannies

The achievement gap, shortcomings of school choice and mediocre test scores don't hold enough interest for the Pinellas School Board. It would rather dictate what students wear and what coaches say.

First board members became obsessed by the width of the straps on girls' shirts and the apparent shortage of belts among boys who show off the tops of their boxers. So they directed district officials to pursue a plan to essentially require uniforms for every student. Never mind that there already is a dress code and that principals and teachers can take care of wardrobe offenses now. Never mind that individual schools already can decide whether their students should wear uniforms.

Now board members have directed the district to develop a new policy that would ban coaches from using profanity when talking to their players. That is going to be a heckuva challenge for some poor son of a gun. What will be the penalty for a coach who blurts out a common profanity in the heat of a game? And exactly which words are we talking about beyond the seven words comedian George Carlin said you can't say on television? Never mind that there already is a state code of ethics that deals with berating students. Never mind that principals and district officials have demonstrated they are more than capable of disciplining or firing coaches with foul mouths.

Students should dress appropriately, and coaches should watch those four-letter words. Principals, teachers and parents can deal with those situations now. Their jobs will only get harder with the School Board's meddling, and the board should not waste its time dictating the length of shirts and how football coaches address their quarterbacks.

It takes considerable restraint to avoid responding to this School Board's lack of vision, common sense and intellectual vigor with words that would have to be dashed out on this page. So we'll try this: If it isn't too much to ask, it would be lovely if board members would kindly refrain from worrying so terribly much about clothes and profanity and try with all their might to focus on education.

[Last modified February 11, 2005, 00:52:18]