Learning to tie a necktie is a rite of passage for many young men, but for some, the opportunity never presents itself due to an absence of male role models.
That’s why five years ago, Hamilton County Sessions Court Judge Bob Moon prompted the local Boys & Girls Club of Chattanooga to start a program, Tie Day, that teaches teens ages 13-18 how to tie a necktie.
“The event originated as a result of a young African-American man who appeared before me on a speeding charge,” Moon said. “He came attired with a necktie, but it was simply folded over with the knot incomplete.”
Moon said he asked the young man if the unknotted tie was a fashion trend.
The young man’s answer surprised the judge.