The mother of a B.C. student who was made to wear a jersey over an outfit deemed 害羞草研究所渋nappropriate害羞草研究所� this week says her daughter wore the off-the-shoulder top to school about a dozen times this year before it became an issue.
And, she noted, it was purchased by her daughter害羞草研究所檚 grandmother.
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害羞草研究所淪he was pulled into the office, her and one of her friends, (and) told that her shoulders hanging out was too inappropriate for school,害羞草研究所� Jackie Welch told Peace Arch News Friday, of her daughter Madison害羞草研究所檚 experience three days ago.
害羞草研究所淚f her grandmother thought it was cute, how can it be inappropriate?害羞草研究所�
Surrey school officials, Welch said, 害羞草研究所渘ever, ever contacted me about it.害羞草研究所�
PAN reported this week that two students at South Meridian Elementary in South Surrey were made to wear jerseys over their clothes Tuesday, and that female Grade 6 and 7 students were gathered into the school library on the same day for a 害羞草研究所渄iscussion害羞草研究所� regarding appropriate dress.
School district spokesman Doug Strachan confirmed Thursday that parents were not given advance notice of the discussion, and that Grade 6 and 7 boys were not included in it. The jersey measure, he told PAN, was a 害羞草研究所渙ne-off害羞草研究所� to deal with the issue in the moment, and was not an 害羞草研究所渋nstitutionalized害羞草研究所� approach.
Many parents took to a closed Facebook page, and then to PAN害羞草研究所檚 Facebook page after the story went public Thursday afternoon, to voice their opinions on the issue.
Some describe what happened as 害羞草研究所渞idiculous,害羞草研究所� others pointed to a need for education, including around 害羞草研究所渞ape culture.害羞草研究所� Several expressed concern with the focus on girls, while others were critical of how some youth are dressing.
害羞草研究所淢aybe some self respect and decorum would go a long way,害羞草研究所� writes Sandy Evans. 害羞草研究所淲hy not instill some dignity and class at a young age. Dress for success.害羞草研究所�
Kim Streifel commented that 害羞草研究所渟ome schools dress codes are ridiculous害羞草研究所� when it comes to the girls.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淣ow if the girls are wearing booty shorts or micro minis害羞草研究所� shame on those parents,害羞草研究所� Streifel adds. 害羞草研究所淚 think the school has every right to teach the girls this is inappropriate, if they害羞草研究所檙e parents are failing to do so. In my opinion.害羞草研究所�
Cindy Dalglish, a Surrey school board candidate in last month害羞草研究所檚 civic election, writes it is 害羞草研究所渧ery troubling害羞草研究所� that the boys weren害羞草研究所檛 included in the larger discussion.
害羞草研究所淲hat a person wears does not give the right for others to assign anything to it,害羞草研究所� she adds. 害羞草研究所淚ncluding admin and teachers.害羞草研究所�
Another commented that the issue is not about boys, but 害羞草研究所渁bout a child containing their innocence while they still have it.害羞草研究所�
Welch told PAN she felt the school sexualized her daughter 害羞草研究所� who is in Grade 6 and turned 11 in September 害羞草研究所揵y making her wear the jersey.
害羞草研究所淪he was going to school thinking it was an outfit that she liked,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淎nd it wasn害羞草研究所檛 the first time she害羞草研究所檚 worn it.害羞草研究所�
Welch said she is strict about what her daughter wears, 害羞草研究所渆ven at home,害羞草研究所� and that she害羞草研究所檇 had no concerns with Madison害羞草研究所檚 choice of attire Tuesday. She posted a photo of Madison in the outfit that got her in trouble at school to PAN害羞草研究所檚 Facebook page Friday morning 害羞草研究所渟o people can see it害羞草研究所� before forming an opinion.
According to a reminder that was included in a May 2018 newsletter, the school dress code害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渙nly guideline is that dress be in good taste.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淐lothing should not be offensive or distracting. For example, shorts are acceptable providing that they are not too short,害羞草研究所� the reminder reads, in part.
害羞草研究所淭ops should not reveal bare back, shoulders, or midriff and undergarments should not be visible.害羞草研究所�
Strachan had told PAN Thursday that the school is to continue discussions with parents around dress-code guidelines, approaches and options.
Sent a copy of the photo of Madison害羞草研究所檚 outfit Friday morning, Strachan was not immediately available to comment further.
The issue was also raised at the school害羞草研究所檚 parent-advisory committee meeting Thursday. Welch said she was asked by the PAC to attend, but was unable to stay long enough to hear the discussion.
She told PAN she was later advised that the committee had expressed to the principal that 害羞草研究所渢hey felt it was 100 per cent inappropriate to be making (the girls) put a jersey on.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭hey felt if there was an issue with the clothing they should be going straight to the parent, and not pointing her out at school,害羞草研究所� said Welch.
The principal, she was told, 害羞草研究所渨as quite receptive to the discussion.害羞草研究所�
Welch said she would like to see the school revisit its dress-code guidelines, and that she would be interested in participating in that process.
tholmes@peacearchnews.com
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