School Boards vs. Kilts, the Prom Drama Begins

Senior Prom is coming! Of course, while everyone's dashing about to find boutonnieres and dress shoes and get their dresses hemmed, there's a bit of the usual high school drama going about. Of course, there's a fair deal of unusual drama too.
Schools all over America have dress codes. These restrictions aren't just for class, but for dances too, including prom. These appear reasonable restrictions too, rules like "no overly-revealing articles" or "no offensive messaging." Oh, and no kilts. Definitely no kilts. Or, so says one school in Granite City. One young man, by the name of William Carruba decided he would make and wear a traditional kilt with this family's tartan for his high school prom. His goal was to look dashing while paying homage to his family's proud Scottish heritage. His hopes were dashed, however, when the school board declared that the kilt violated their dress code and that it was "non traditional."
Frankly, I do not believe that because an item of clothing is different that it should be banned. If anything, I find Carruba's interest in representing his roots and embracing his culture should be celebrated. Diversity is a wonderful thing, it contributes to a more vibrant community, both locally and nationally. Just because Carruba's choice is uncommon does not mean it is offensive, vulgar, or inappropriate. He is simply choosing to wear the formal wear of his family, something they made just for the occasion.
Sadly, the school board refused to relent their overly-strict policies, and Carruba resignedly agreed to "just wear pants."

What does this say about our school's values? Are conformity, tradition, and uniformity really the most important things to a school? Or should qualities like diversity, ingenuity, and pride be valued more?
I have to agree with Carruba, when it comes to how we express ourselves through clothing, being original is something to encourage.


See the inspiration for this post here: http://www.glamour.com/fashion/blogs/slaves-to-fashion/2012/04/illinois-school-bans-kilts-fro.html