Two South Surrey students were made to cover up their outfits with jerseys this week 害羞草研究所� and were called with their female peers into a 害羞草研究所渄iscussion害羞草研究所� about what害羞草研究所檚 OK to wear 害羞草研究所� after staff deemed their clothing inappropriate for an elementary school.
School district spokesman Doug Strachan confirmed the step was taken Tuesday at South Meridian Elementary, and involved students in Grade 6 or 7. He did not have details on the offending outfits, and did not know which event occurred first, the discussion or the demand to don jerseys.
Parents were not given advance notice of the discussion, and Grade 6 and 7 boys were not included, Strachan confirmed.
The jersey measure, he noted 害羞草研究所� described by one parent as a 害羞草研究所渟carlet letter害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� was 害羞草研究所渁 one-off, a temporary cover-up for clothing that was considered inappropriate.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not an institutionalized approach,害羞草研究所� Strachan said.
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Peace Arch News learned Wednesday that some parents at the 16244 13 Ave. school were upset by the school害羞草研究所檚 steps.
害羞草研究所淭he issue is singling out the girls,害羞草研究所� Derek Thornton told PAN by email.
害羞草研究所淎lso, the dress code, purely in my opinion, is quite vague. I害羞草研究所檓 sure it is left that way intentionally so that it is simply left to the discretion of the day. However, a 害羞草研究所榮carlet letter害羞草研究所� of a jersey is completely inappropriate and definitely crosses a line.害羞草研究所�
Thornton said many parents voiced concerns and frustrations through comments on a private Facebook page. A screenshot of part of that online conversation 害羞草研究所� with commenters害羞草研究所� names obscured by Thornton for privacy reasons 害羞草研究所� shows comments including some questioning why the boys weren害羞草研究所檛 spoken to at the same time.
One describes the scenario that played out as 害羞草研究所渞idiculous.害羞草研究所�
Another commented that 害羞草研究所渋t irked me.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淛ust the girls,害羞草研究所� commented another. 害羞草研究所淚 get some clothes are not appropriate in the school害羞草研究所� but a lecture about it害羞草研究所� they also now single out the offender so she wears a jersey at school for first offence and 2nd gets sent home害羞草研究所� this could have been handled so differently.害羞草研究所�
Strachan said the discussion with the Grade 6 and 7 girls was simply about 害羞草研究所渁ppropriate dress,害羞草研究所� and that the Grade 6 and 7 boys were not spoken to as a similar issue or trend has not been identified amongst them.
He said, generally, the genders are spoken to separately, 害羞草研究所渨hen it might allow the students to feel more comfortable to speak out.害羞草研究所�
Contrary to reports, Strachan said the girls 害羞草研究所渨ere not told害羞草研究所� in Tuesday害羞草研究所檚 discussion that their clothing was distracting the boys.
He said the school will be involving parents in discussions regarding dress-code guidelines, approaches and options.
害羞草研究所淭he school will be continuing the dialogue from this week about the dress code and related expectations and processes with parents,害羞草研究所� he said.
The issue was also expected to be on the agenda of this evening害羞草研究所檚 (Nov. 29) parent advisory committee, after PAN press time.
