Saggy Pants and School Suspension

Your State Government at Work

You can call it stylish. You can call it a trend. You might be among those who call it "nasty" or downright "disgusting". But if the State Senate in Florida agrees with lawmaker Gary Siplin, a Democrat from the Orlando area, young Floridians may wake up to find that it's also illegal. The "it " in this case is the baggy pants worn by school aged young people that reveals their underwear. The style has finally caught the attention of enough adults from a cross section of the state's voters to create an issue in search of resolution on a statewide level.

The Law and what it provides. The bill currently circulating in the Florida State Senate would make the wearing of baggy pants, worn at a level that reveals underwear, forbidden in public schools or while students are on any part of school property, this would include buildings and playgrounds. To be fair and to allow for judgment calls and time for students to adjust to the prohibition, the first offense would result only in a warning. If the offenses continue the school would subsequently exact first a three day and ultimately a 10 day suspension from school. The law puts the enforcement of these provisions squarely in the hands of school officials and in a sense asks for their cooperation to carry out its purpose.