03-16-2008, 07:05 PM
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♦*♥Moderatrix♥*♦
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Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: on top of it all
Posts: 50,566
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State passes droopy pants law
(gg)
TALLAHASSEE, Florida (Reuters) - The Florida Senatewants public school students to pull up their pants.Lawmakers passed a bill Thursday that could meansuspensions for students with droopy britches. It won't become law unless the House ofRepresentatives passes a companion measure. Florida could join several southern U.S. towns andcities that have passed "saggy pants" laws aimed atoutlawing what some teenagers consider a fashionstatement -- wearing pants half way down theirbuttocks, exposing flesh or underwear. Supporters say schools sometimes don't properly policedress codes and parents are often "under aware" ofwhat their kids are wearing to school. Critics say the measure is unnecessary, arguing thatappearance and dress codes should be theresponsibility of school districts and parents. Despite being the butt of jokes, the bill's sponsor,Orlando Sen. Gary Siplin, a Democrat, has said thefashion statement has a back-story -- it was madepopular by rap artists after first appearing amongprison inmates as a signal they were looking for sex. "All we're trying to do now is trying to inform folksthat we have a fad now that does not have a very goodorigination," Siplin said. "We're trying to make anexample in school," he added, saying it would helpstudents get jobs and a degree. The Florida city of Riviera Beach passed its own saggypants law Tuesday, with a maximum penalty of 60 daysin jail for repeat offenders. (Reporting by Michael Peltier, editing by Jim Loneyand Todd Eastham)
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