Is an anti-Goth school dress code "religious discrimination"?

Question

A teenager in Florida who is both Goth and Wiccan argues that it is.

http://paganwiccan.about.com/b/a/000087.htm?nl=1

She says she needs to look Goth to express herself as a Witch. Personally, I disagree with that--most Witches I know aren't Gothy at all, and I myself prefer white, turquoise, and green. But I do think outlawing a certain dress style is stupid.

Answer 1

Some of the posters have summed it up nicely but I do have a few things to add to a few of them- Wicca was legally recognized as a religion in the US in 1984. And anyone can pray to anyone about anything anytime and nobody can say boo about it as long as they don't do it where the unwilling are forced to hear it. Even if you don't like what they're praying for.

With THAT out of the way, I don't think it is discrimination of a religious nature to have an anti goth dress code- but it IS childish, silly, and underhandledly looking to discriminate against those of an alternative mindset, who may well have an alternative spirituality. But try to prove THAT one in court.

Answer 2

There are no Wiccan religious dress-codes, unlike some other religions.

Goth is not a religion, but a sub-culture. One can be Wiccan AND Goth, but being Wiccan does not require one to dress as or wear makeup as a Goth.

However, if no other cultural clothing is prohibited, I don't believe that Goth clothing should be prohibited either.

Answer 3

I think it's silly. Dressing goth is certainly NOT part of being a witch. It is a discrimination against a certain type of dress. If they really feel that way the school should adopt uniforms. Yea it sucks, but no one will be discriminated in dress.

Answer 4

It doesn't seem that "goth" is a part of the wiccan faith, so she may have a hard sell on that. On the other hand, outlawing a single form of dress style based a non-casual factor in tragedy would seem to be a form of discrimination.

Answer 5

hmmm....what a mess! If a school has a dress code, they usually have it in response to issues and problems created in the past and near past by people who dressed that way....and so now the current students pay the price for the mishaps and problems of the ones before them. This is not necessarily a very fair way to approach the problem, but at some point you have to make a stand, make a rule, enforce it and stand by it or else anything goes and it will be utter chaos.

Answer 6

It's not religious discrimination as such, however anti-Goth school dress codes are often intended to harass Wiccans, Pagans, and Satanists without naming them specifically and leaving the school open to charges of religious discrimination.

Such bans are futile, unconstitional, and just plain wrong.

Answer 7

I disagree that the make up is to express her religion
however .... it goes on to say that skaters , preppys etc can wear what they wish to express themself with
so it may not be religious discrimination but there is some discrimination going on for sure

my girl wears some goth make up to school and mixes her goth clothes with her uniform
where others may wear their shirt and tie with jeans ... she will wear her black baggies or her skirt and stripey socks ...
the teachers love her individuality and allows the kids to express themselves
they feel it encourages them to grow

Answer 8

Yeah, goth's not a religion. It's just aesthetics. And I agree, it is stupid to ban a dress style.

Answer 9

I personally think all kids should wear uniforms. And I'm a liberal! High school is hard enough for kids to have to worry about what they are wearing...and then they get a minor thing to rebel against by altering their uniforms and pushing the boundaries. Much better in my opinion than spending hundreds of your parents money trying to "be different" by wearing what is cool or edgy at the time.

Answer 10

Goth is not a religion, so it can't be. That chick is probably just hanging onto Wicca because she thinks it's cool, and will drop it in 4 weeks time