Father of Tight Trousered Youth Threatens Court Action to Upset High School Ban |
(Leave it to those crazy people from West Virginia to start some kind of ruckus with their tight fittin' jeans) The father of a 17-year – old Wheaton MD High School Junior is threatening to go to court to attend school in close fitting Western- style dungaree trousers. The student, Paul McQuain, has been out of classes since Thursday after the principal, Elwood B. Mason, asked him to go home and change into more conventionally cut trousers. Paul’s father, Okey Lee McQuain, 3504 Murdock road Kensington, MD, said he hopes other parents who are interested in the economy of clothing their boys in dungarees will join him in making a court test of the school administration’s policy of banning certain types of apparel. But Mr. Mason insisted today that there is not a question of banning dungarees, Khaki or cotton twill trousers, tailored as slacks, or other conventional type cloths. A number of students attended school in this type of attire every day, he said, with out objection. Objection to “Bronco Type” “It is the so called “Western Style, bronco type of trousers that we do not consider appropriate”. Mr. Mason said. J.J. Tarallo, principal of Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville, sent a boy home this morning for the same reason. The youth changed his pants and returned to classes. The western style fad among certain youngsters is narrow in the legs, tight around the hips and short in the seat. Buttons instead of zippers closes some. It is supposed to make a boy look like a cowboy whose pants dried after coming in out of the rain. “One boy told us” Mr. Mason said, “he had put on his Western- style trousers and sat in a tub of hot water to make the m shrink on him.” Meanwhile, Paul, who came here from West Virginia last Year, Said he was remaining out of school today, his fourth day away, from classes, but would put on slacks and go to classes tomorrow and Thursday because mid semester examinations are being held. Policy Is Two Years Old Paul said he wore the western style trousers since the second day of school last September. . The tight – fitting kind aren’t worn more frequently in West Virginia then here, he said Mr. Mason said the policy was about two years old and that last year he a William G. Pyles, Bethesda –Chevy Chase High School principal, had verified the continuation of the policy with Forbs H. Norris Montgomery County School superintendent. The policy had been established during the tenure of Mr. Norris’ predecessor, Dr. Edwin W. Broome. After repeated conferences with individual boys and announcement over the Wheaton High’s public address system that skin-tight trousers were not acceptable, Mr. Mason said more then 50 boys were sent home to change clothes one-day lat October. No /economy, either “ It is not a matter of economy,” Mr. Mason said. “I have checked with four leading department stores and found that Khaki or gray cotton wash pants sell for $2.95 a pair while the western –style ranges from $3.95 –$6.69” Mr. McQuain conferred with Mr. Mason and with Mr. Norris last week. Mr. Mason said he told Mr. McQuain that the school was not barring Paul but that Mr. McQuain was keeping his son from classes by failing to properly attire his son. Mr. Mason said the policy was set about two years ago after some girl students complained about the appearance of the skin-tight trousers on some of the boys. (I guess those West Virginia boys just looked so hot in their tight jeans, the gurlz couldn’t concentrate on schoolwork…) |