this is absolute bullshit

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/oct/05/eve-samples-these-three-numbers-are-too-for-high/



Eve Samples: These three numbers are too offensive for Martin County high schools



By Eve Samples



Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Sneakers in every color of the rainbow line the wall at Teak Leasor's skate shop across from the Martin County Courthouse.



There are red Nikes with teal swooshes, dark blue Adidas with light blue stripes.



Nearby, a rack of Made in the U.S.A. T-shirts are emblazoned with the name of Leasor's store, Five Six One Skateboarding.

 The apparel is popular with parts of the high school set in Martin County — but teenagers had better not try to wear the shirts to school.



Ginger Cullere's son, Cole, made that mistake last month.



When the sophomore at Martin County High showed up for class wearing a T-shirt bearing the skate shop's name, he was promptly instructed to turn it inside-out. When that didn't appease school officials, he had to remove the offending shirt and wear a school-issued replacement for the remainder of the day.



"I could see if it had a pot leaf," Ginger Cullere said.



But just three numerals were printed on it: 561.



Most of us know them as the area code for Palm Beach County. A decade ago, 561 also was the area code on the Treasure Coast — and that's why Leasor named his business Five Six One Skateboarding when he opened it 11 years ago.


He had no idea the numbers would become linked to gangs based in Palm Beach County, namely Top 6 and 561 Boyz.



"I thought it would be easy to catch on and not too pretentious," Leasor told me.


He was thinking like an entrepreneur. Silly him.



Leasor is not one to raise a ruckus or attend school board meetings (he didn't contact me for this story — I called him), but the ban has definitely cut into sales.


At least 30 percent of his customers are high school students, he estimated.



"I've had multiple kids tell me that they're not allowed to wear the shirts, so they're not going to purchase one for school," Leasor said.



The student handbook for Martin County High doesn't explicitly prohibit apparel with 561 or other area codes on it.



It states "no messages, pictures, symbols or clothing may be worn or displayed which portray ideas that are harmful to the health, safety and welfare of students, e.g., messages which relate to drugs, smoking, alcohol, sex, gangs, profanity or violence."


Jensen Beach High School and South Fork High School have similar prohibitions.



When I asked Martin County School District officials for their take on the matter, spokeswoman Cathy Brennan sent me this statement:




"Our schools work collaboratively with the Martin County Sheriff's Office to monitor items that are known to be commonly used as gang identifiers. Our priority is always student safety and we want to prevent issues on our campuses in which these items could be misconstrued as being gang-related."


She also emailed me the link to a YouTube video in which a Top 6 gang member briefly appears wearing a hat with 561 printed on it.

 Ginger Cullere thinks the district is taking its enforcement of the dress code too far.




She said her son is a "good kid" who takes pride in his appearance. Cole doesn't wear saggy pants. He won't go to school in a wrinkled shirt.

He's certainly not in a gang.

 "He takes so much pride in his clothes, and he can't wear them," she said.


Nor can he carry his backpack, which he bought from Leasor's store, to school.




Ginger Cullere pointed out that members of the notorious Bloods gang are known to wear red. Crips wear blue.


"So if you wear a solid red shirt or solid blue, you're a gang member?" she asked.

Of course not.


Nor are you automatically promoting a gang if you wear the numbers 561.


So far, Leasor's shop has weathered the recession relatively well. He's one of the lucky small business owners who have seen sales increase during the last two years.

 The ban on wearing his gear at public high schools probably won't break him, but that doesn't make it right."I'm pretty baffled by it," Leasor said.


It would be one thing if the school required uniforms. Then, there would be no debating what's allowed or what's not.

 As the rules stand now, there's too much room for interpretation.


As Cole's case illustrates, it's a distraction for students, teachers and administrators.

for all things to love in stuart

the beach is probably number one. the access and the beauty of it. the best.

mmmm beer....

went on friday to check out the new wine bar in downtown stuart, occupying the space that once housed the wonderful dive the triangle; we now have "crush wine bar." the place where we used to buy cigarettes and beer underage, has been all dolled up and transformed into a chic new space. about a year ago, the city was touting the closing of the triangle as some sort of moving of city hall venture. no need for a bar when we can build city hall right there on the corner by the sailfish fountain. but alas, the government lied, and they just put another bar right in the same exact space. but, it isn't a dive, it's super fancy schmancy, which i am guessing makes the world, and martin county in general, a better place. 

they have a few walls of wine dispensers that you use an atm like card to get a taste, half a glass, or a full glass. the concept has been done before but it is still pretty neat. i am not the biggest wine drinker in town, but i was in luck because they have a hugely extensive beer list. this alone makes me happy to have this spot added to the local nightlife. the beer list is not only extensive, but the prices are reasonable as well. $4 for a good beer is not bad whatsoever. no real basic selections (bud light, miller light etc) on the menu so i did hear some people griping about that. but they have some of my faves, palm and monk in the trunk. deslish! all in all it was a good time. the service is slow but will hopefully improve, and some more decorations would be a good addition also. they don't really have any food, with the exception of some cheese and meat platters. being owned by eric of ian's tropical grill, i was a little sad about that, but crush is about the bevies and not the food. so don't go there if you are hungry.

   

awesome trip

Connecticut was so pretty and green and hilly. Such a great escape. The air just smells better and the grass is so skinny and weird and soft. Doing the wifi thing right now up 10,000 feet on my way from the layover in Atlanta to PBI, landing at about midnight. Annoying chatty people to my left have finally ceased the annoying chatter. I do love vacation, and airport people watching, but I can't wait to get home, see my pups and sleep in my own comfy familiar bed.

I scored an awesome pair of Jack Rogers and a rad Obey thin long sleeve knit super heathered number. I love to "vacation shop." Didn't make it to NYC for fear of spending too much money. I'll get back there soon enough though.

truth

back in black

had an awesome trip! i love vacation. taking another in august and headed up to my wonderful born place of connecticut and def hitting up nyc for a few days too :)

i need a plan that enables me to not work for much longer. need to invent something or win the lotto. difficult to win the lotto when i never play but yea.

i hated stuart the whole time i was away but smiled when i saw the sign for the exit. when i got off and saw my familiar roads of stu-ville it felt good to be home. i have a real love hate relationship with this place. sometimes i don't want to run into 40 people from high school at musicfest. i miss museums, really good food from really far away places, amazing shopping, indie movie theaters, street culture, etc...but on the other hand i love that i can call kyle to come over and install a fan for me, and talk to ed and ki or notch about everything honestly and openly because i feel so comfortable with them. in the end, it is my friends that brought me back to this place and keeps me here. you can't form bonds like the ones i have with the few that i hold so dear. i just need to plan mini escapes more often. still in search for that ultimate partner in crime. not settling either.

weekend extension

decided that i needed monday off to make for a nice three day weekend. that damn time change always jacks me up! i was exhausted mon morning when i got up for work and just couldn't swing it. i slept until 12:30 and it was fantastic.

all around good weekend. went with keeks to get her new tattoos. turned out nicely. juno beached it on sunday, bathtubbed it on monday. got some good color. florida isn't all bad.

perfect little houseguest

pico (aka peeks, pico de gallo, pico pico picoliter) is staying at mi casa for a week and a half. love this little monster! he makes escher look like a giant.

on a side note, i can not wait to take escher to the brand spankin new stuart dog park. i drove by yesterday with t and we saw lots of doggies playing! nyc be damned, stuville is on the come up.

yummo

fyi: benihana has the best lunch deal in stuville. $10 for deliciousness.

history

looking forward to doing this tour tomorrow. seems like it'll be pretty interesting. 

2011 Stuart Historic Homes Tour

downtown douchebaggery

i come out from lunch this afternoon, where i was reading my book on optimism seeing as though i am a huge pessimist and am trying to be more positive and i see this.

looks like the universe has handed me a pile of crap. i already have a negative disposition towards people that leave the top down on their convertible in the parking lot. but this took it to the next level. this dude totally blocked me in, next to a suburban and a wall. i ended up getting out after ten minutes of tricky manuevering. hope convertible man likes lougies on his driver seat.



ben prestage

if you haven't seen a ben performance yet, head to the gazebo this friday & take advantage. he's got serious talent & puts on an amazing show.

RIP scary christmas tree

when i bought my house a year ago there was a super tall scary christmas tree in the yard that i wanted to get rid of asap. it would sway in the wind and had three spurts off the top that were a sign that it had broken and regrown more than once. i wanted it gone before hurricane season came and slammed it into my house.

six months later while d was doing my floors we had our first big rain of hurricane season and the tree came the hell down. luckily it didn't hit the house but it made some serious dents in the yard and annihilated my ficus. thanks to d for hooking up the tow rope and moving it out of the driveway before i got home from work. even bigger thanks to my uncle for having a landscape business and sending his guys over the next day to take care of everything.

new contributors

the two dudes in the picture below will now be contributing their own rants, songs, shit cheavers texts, and other randomness to the blog.

rocks

had it been high tide i would've jumped right in & not returned to work from lunch

good times

if i had to guess i would say this is from 1994.

from left to right:
rob (on ground with horns), kyle (mid air), doug, billy, geoff, judson, hugo feeding a luna garlic knot to notch, neil, joe, whit, & jim.

stu-ville

take time to appreciate where you live, for all the reasons you have chosen it as your own. people, places, things....

stu beach yesterday at lunch was so beautiful. super windy and cold, although i did see two skim boarders in the water. my fave publix sub + this scenery = delightful. 

i downloaded an awesome panoramic app & finally found an opportunity to use it.