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Achieve 3000 Quarter 2 Article 3: “It’s Not Just the Clothes”

Before Reading Poll

Some cities are trying to pass laws that would prohibit the wearing of baggy pants that show undergarments. Some people think this is a violation of a person's rights. What do you think?

People should be allowed to wear what they want, even if some people think it is offensive. (CIRCLE ONE)

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  • Agree
  • Disagree

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ARTICLE

TRENTON, New Jersey(Achieve3000, September 19, 2007). A hip-hop fashion statement linked to jails may land some people in court, as some cities and towns have adopted ordinances that forbid the wearing of pants baggy enough to expose the wearer's undergarments. In some communities, offenders can face fines and even jail time.

Proposals to ban loose-fitting pants are popping up nationwide, including in Delcambre, Louisiana. There, wearing pants worn low enough to reveal undergarments can incur penalties of up to six months in jail and fines up to $500. Restrictions are also being considered in Atlanta, Georgia, and in Trenton, New Jersey, where pants worn well below the typical beltline may soon translate into a fine.

Trenton Councilwoman Annette Lartigue, who is drafting a law to outlaw baggy pants, said, "The message is clear: We don't want to see your backside."

The baggy-pants trend emerged from prisons, where, for security reasons, inmates aren't given belts to hold up uniform pants. By the late 1980s, the trend had made it to hip-hop videos and high school hallways. On the average American street, however, the trend continues to inspire discord. Some people feel the pants are distasteful; others consider the fashion a statement of African-American pride and dignity.

At one Trenton hip-hop clothing store, shopper Mark Wise, 30, said that he wears the baggy jeans for practical reasons, saying, "The reason I don't wear tight pants is because it's easier to get money out of my pocket this way. . . . It's just more comfortable."

"It should be my personal choice what to wear," said Jimmy Person, 34, at a recent hearing on the issue in Atlanta. "Maybe young people should be more tasteful. But let young people decide for themselves."

"For young people, it's a form of rebellion and identity," said Adrian "Easy A.D." Harris, 43, a founding member of the Bronx's legendary rap group Cold Crush Brothers. "The young people think it's fashionable. They don't think it's negative."

But those who disagree see the trend as a bad influence on children.

"It has the potential to catch on with elementary school kids, and we want to stop it before it gets there," said C.T. Martin, an Atlanta councilman who supports banning the loose-fitting pants. In Atlanta, voices have been raised in support of community standards that discourage young people from entering into the trend.

"I don't think we're doing our ancestors due justice for some of the things we are doing today. It's time for us to push back," said Lonnie King, an Atlanta resident.

Others say that the wearing of baggy pants demonstrates low self-esteem, pointing to the connection between prison and the clothing style.

But critics of the proposed ban, led by the American Civil Liberties Union, say the restrictions are a form of racial profiling that would target African-American males based on their attire, and might not withstand a court challenge. Citing those concerns, Stratford, Connecticut, rejected a similar proposal.

"In Atlanta, we see this as racial profiling," said Benetta Standly, statewide organizer for the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia. "It's going to target African-American male youths."

Regardless of the outcome, some see an overdue debate about how to draw the line in public dress in schools, community centers, and churches.

"If nothing else, it's a great part of a conversation we need to have," said Atlanta City Councilwoman Joyce Sheperd.

Dig Deeper

Since 2007, when "It's Not Just the Clothes" was written, some communities have continued to create or enforce public dress codes. In June 2013, Wildwood, New Jersey, passed a city ordinance regulating dress on its oceanside boardwalk. In addition to forbidding baggy pants, the ordinance also requires men to wear shirts when on the boardwalk. People who violate the law can be fined up to $100 for a first offense and $200 for subsequent offenses. They might even be required to perform community service. Also in 2013, St. Louis, Missouri, and the New Jersey community of Penns Grove passed their own versions of the law.

As you have already read, people who support such ordinances say they are intended to maintain a community standard. Wearing baggy pants, they argue, is disrespectful to others. They say it can have a negative influence on children.

Those who oppose such bans, meanwhile, assert that banning baggy pants is a form of racial profiling. Baggy pants are popular among many African-American boys and men. Because of this, some opponents see banning them as a way of criminalizing black males. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Eastern Missouri made a similar point during the controversy in St. Louis. The ACLU claimed that criminalizing a clothing style worn predominantly by one race violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. The group said that it's wrong for the city to restrict the wearing of a symbol because it objects to the message the symbol sends.

Opponents of public dress codes also say such bans violate freedom of expression as guaranteed in the First Amendment to the Constitution. The amendment states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." (Forms of expression such as wearing certain clothing are considered "symbolic speech" under the First Amendment.)

These opponents also point out a distinction between dress codes in the private realm, such as businesses, and those enforced by government in the public realm. While businesses have the right to enforce dress codes, the question of public dress is trickier. That's because the First Amendment states that governments (local, state, and federal) cannot limit freedom of expression. (Courts have made exceptions for public schools, where dress codes may be deemed necessary for the well-being of the students.)

Courts in some municipalities have already ruled against ordinances against baggy pants if they punish people only for revealing undergarments. But many city leaders believe they have a case for their dress codes. The mayor of Wildwood, for example, expects a court challenge to the law, but he believes the law will be upheld.

ACTIVITY
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1. What is the article mainly about?
  • Whether baggy pants are a legitimate symbol of pride for African Americans
  • Whether baggy pants should be permitted to be worn on streets and in schools
  • Whether baggy pants are to be allowed in public schools in Atlanta, Georgia
  • Whether baggy pants are a true expression of hip-hop musical identity
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2. The article states:
On the average American street, however, the trend continues to inspirediscord.
Which would be the closest antonym for the worddiscord?
  • Avail
  • Aptitude
  • Assent
  • Adherence
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3. Based on the article, the reader can predict that ______.
  • The city of Trenton, New Jersey, will reconsider its proposed laws regarding baggy pants in public.
  • The Cold Crush Brothers of the Bronx, New York, will issue a public statement against baggy pants.
  • Other towns and cities will debate the issue of baggy pants and whether they should be considered acceptable.
  • Cities nationwide will pressure the hip-hop clothing industry to stop selling baggy pants to children.
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4. Which of these ismostimportant to include in summary of this article?
  • The reasons why Stratford, Connecticut rejected a proposal to ban the pants
  • The arguments for and against prohibiting the wearing of sagging pants
  • The reasons that rapper "Easy A.D." gives for the baggy pants trend today
  • The opinion of the hip-hop clothing store shopper in Trenton, New Jersey
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5. The article states:
Some people feel the pants aredistasteful; others consider the fashion a statement of African-American pride and dignity.
Which would be the closest synonym for the worddistasteful?
  • Ornate
  • Obnoxious
  • Obscure
  • Oblivious
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6. The news article says all of the followingexcept______.
  • The ACLU opposes laws that restrict the wearing of baggy pants.
  • The city of Stanford, Connecticut, decided against rules restricting baggy pants in public.
  • The trend of wearing baggy pants got started in Trenton, New Jersey.
  • The Atlanta, Georgia plan brought out people who are both for and against baggy pants.
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7. The author probably wrote this article to ______.
  • Tell readers that the trend of baggy pants likely got its start in prisons
  • Tell readers about the American Civil Liberties Union's position on baggy pants
  • Tell readers the reason that some buyers prefer baggy pants over other types of pants
  • Tell readers about a controversial clothing style that has inspired legal debates
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8. What is the cause and effect relationship that takes place in this article?
  • Some believe that preventing people from wearing baggy pants will change the way rap groups dress.
  • Some believe that if the pants are not banned, the trend will have a negative impact on young children.
  • Some believe that if it is not banned, the wearing of baggy pants will be an example of how African-American youth are targeted.
  • Some believe that a possible jail term and fine in Louisiana will cause those opposed to the law to change their opinions.
THOUGHT QUESTION
Explain the two conflicting opinions regarding laws that prohibit the wearing of baggy pants in public. What details did you find that support these viewpoints? Which side do you agree with? Explain why. Support your response with information from the lesson.
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