vs. 
That got your attention didn't it? Today I bring you a battle royal: Boobie bands vs. silly bandz.
Have these made an appearance at your school? It took me a few weeks to realize what they said. A ton of middle school, ahem, boys, started wearing them. I didn't pay much attention. However, earlier this week, while watching a 6th grade student draw, I really looked at the band. "I love bo..."I couldn't see the rest. " What does that say?" I asked. He blushed bright red, I spun the bracelet around his wrist... boobies. "I love boobies?" I ask raising my eyebrows at this mild mannered young man that I have known since he was in eight. "Ummm, ummm," he stutters. "Humm," I say and in my head I count up how many students must be wearing the I love boobies bracelets.
What dose it mean? Where did they come from? Why are the kids allowed to go around school wearing a bracelet that says boobie. After school I ask the VP, who is charge of our 6-8th students, what is up with the bracelets. He rolls his eyes and says it has something to do with breast cancer awareness and fundraising. "Oh yeah, I'm sure the 7th grade boys are worried about breast cancer research funding," I remark. Admin has decided to just ignore them with the belife that if we ban then it will become a big deal.
Fine I guess. I love boobies as much as any other boobie owner. My grandma and aunt died of breast cancer. I donate to breast cancer research and believe in education and awareness. However, I find the bracelets inappropriate for 11-13 year olds to wear to school. I really, REALLY don't think most of kids wearing them give a crap about breast cancer, fundraising or research...they just want to wear something that says boobies.
Ironically silly bandz have yet to really catch on at our school. A few kids have them but hey are not a big deal. Instead I was really unhappy to have a group of 3rd grade students come in to class today and realize three of them are now wearing I love boobies bracelets. Ok fine, they are going to let the middle school students have a rebellious moment, but I am not ok with 8 year olds wearing them.
What do you think, am I uptight and old fashioned, are boobie bands appropriate for the classroom? Are they ok for middle school age, elementary age, high school? Everyone?
Yes, these have made an appearance at our high school. If I'm not mistaken there is a school district in TX. (not sure which one) that is banning the "Ilove boobies" bracelets. I agree with you, these kids are not speaking up in behalf of breast cancer.
ReplyDeleteA kid in nearby school district high school got suspended for the boobie bracelet, and he claimed it was in support of a relative battling breast cancer, so it's a fine line to decide if it's appropriate. I'm more offended by some of the things written on T-shirts on elementary kids - snarky sayings about homework, about being bratty, etc.
ReplyDeleteBut it got me thinking about what I say myself. I will admit using the word boobies, while making silly little plaster-bandage finger puppets with my 6th graders. Some girls were building female puppets- one was a ballet dancer, and one was a cheerleader, and I told them they needed to hot-glue 2 beads to the chest and plaster over them to give their puppets little boobies. They got a good giggle out of it and nobody was offended. was I wrong?
I thought I remembered hearing on the news recently about a boy who was prohibited for wearing an "I Love Boobies" t-shirt to either middle or high school. I went on-line and did a Google search to find out where this had happened and was amazed at how widespread this conversation has become!! I never did find the news item I was looking for.
ReplyDeleteMy husband (Tim) teaches middle school and he has a lot of the boobies bracelets in his school. We too have survivors and non survivors in our family. I support all efforts to raise money to fight breast cancer and any other decease out there. Tim has a good way of explaining to the kids why they are not appropriate in school. He asks the student if they think 'Boobies' is something a teacher would say. When the kids responds with no, he explains that this is a good indicator that it is not appropriate for school. The kids seem to get it with this explanation. There is rumor in our high schools that we may have some parents bringing the restriction for the boobies wear to court. Some parents in our town feel by asking students not to wear the bands we are restricting their freedom of speech.
ReplyDeleteWe've got silly bands all over the place here. I don't mind them. I haven't seen any kids wear the boobies bracelets. I really probably wouldn't care too much if they did. I agree it's probably not the most appropriate thing to be wearing, but since it supports breast cancer it will be hard to fight it. When I used to teach middle school I'd see a girl wearing a playboy bunny t-shirt or a kid wearing a beer shirt and think "WHERE ARE THE PARENTS???"
ReplyDeleteMy students are buying the bracelets at Spencers and Zumies for $4 and I wonder how much money is actually getting back to breast cancer research. I went to the website that goes with the bracelets. I was not able to find where the money raised goes or what their education programs are.
ReplyDeleteI have to say my (15 year old) son came home proud of his new "Save the TaTas" (for Breast Cancer Research) bracelet he bought from 7'11. I brought up this discussion and he felt that while it might get some chuckles (and probably the main reason for his purchase), he felt he was contributing to a good cause and raising awareness. He said there were a few teachers with similar bracelets at is high school.
ReplyDeleteSilly Bandz got so huge at my daughter's elementary school that they have banned them. Some had collections from their wrist to their elbows and were trading them like they were setting up mini swap meets. :D
I have banned the bands in my classroom. I am an old fuddy-duddy, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI don't find it inappropriate at all. it's just fashion, it's bracelet, and it says nothing graphic or vulgar, it's not an invitation to anything, and it's not disrespectful with no one. like "i like YOUR boobies" or something, but, I',m just saying.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to hold firm that if I started using the word boobie(s) in my lesson with the 3rd graders or lower that there would be hell for me to pay from parents and the admin...I think Mrs. Hahn's husband has a good way of explaining my reservations/limits on the word.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I were talking about it and here is his perspective: would it be ok to wear a bracelet or tshirt that said "I love balls" or some other slang for testicular cancer? Or "I love (insert slang for penis here)" for penile cancer? Interesting questions...
ReplyDeleteThe only reason half of these students are wearing these bracelets is for the humor of it. Would they still wear them if they instead said "Help Fight Breast Cancer"? Probably not. The meaning is the same but the way the message is delivered is completely different.
ReplyDeleteClay Boggess
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