Do you think that schools (high school, middle and elementary) should have the right to ban its students from wearing things like makeup, jewelry or carrying cellphones as accessories? In other words, should a girl in the fourth or fifth grade who is already showing a penchant for cosmetics be allowed to wear it at school?

I think the only thing they should have a say in is bringing electronics to school and/or any offensive/obscene articles of clothing. A girl wearing eye makeup in the fourth grade is the parents' problem.

A private school should have the right to set their own standards, even if it's stupid. Public schools can push the envelope. I do think public schools should be able to do what they can to minimize disruptions. Hell, we weren't allowed to wear makeup in JUNIOR HIGH, let alone elementary school.

I agree that it's a parental issue more than a school issue. I remember being in middle school and some of the girls having clown makeup on. If they're parents were okay with it, then it wasn't the schools business.

My high school banned damn near everything--baby tees, white tees, spandex tights, tight pants, spaghetti strap tops, skirts and shorts above fingertip length, cellphones (they were expensive and luxury back then, I can only imagine the problems they're having now that EVERYONE in the class has one and not just one or two people)...normally was a cluster of people that caused the problem for everybody, and if the person in charge didn't get it, the item was banned.

While I was in school, I did feel that they should have focused more on the curriculum and ENCOURAGING students to present themselves a certain way, and less on what they were wearing and banning it after assuming it was a distraction to learning. Controlling things like makeup and accessories is an attempt to control outside influences, when the school would probably benefit more from setting a basic dress code and treating isolated incidents, because 9 times out of 10 the issue was WAY bigger that who was wearing what.