Rules are  Roolz

Some rules are good:
no smoking in public places
no littering
no running red lights
no killing people

But some rules are questionable:
insistence on school uniforms
in a low-income school
when mom's been unable to launder navy pants
and white shirts
because dad went to jail last night
or the power was cut off
or because the family of eight has to move again
third time in six months

I'm developing the reputation
as the teacher who doesn't dress code students
(they think I don't notice)

I do notice
but i don't sent them to the office
I don't force mom or grandma to bring the proper clothes to school

their kid is at school
not dressed inappropriately
not hurting anyone
leave them the eff alone

Rules are rules!
sniffs the 8th grade teacher I share my philosophy with
there's zero chance of changing her mind
she'd happily die on that hill
maybe any hill

rules are rules
when they protect society

rules are roolz
when blindly adhered to
by officious foolz