From Madison Welch乌鸦传媒檚 perspective, the message to Grade 6 and 7 girls at South Meridian Elementary last week was clear: shorter shorts, crop tops and spaghetti straps 乌鸦传媒渟ometimes distract the boys.乌鸦传媒�
But the 11-year-old says it was a surprise and 乌鸦传媒渞eally embarrassing乌鸦传媒� when she and a friend were singled out soon after its delivery and made to cover up with school jerseys 乌鸦传媒� Madison, for wearing a top her grandmother had bought her, that left her shoulders exposed; her friend, for 乌鸦传媒渨earing a T-shirt just to her pant line.乌鸦传媒�
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Not only did Madison not have any inkling that her outfit violated the school乌鸦传媒檚 dress code, but she said the girls had also just been told, as part of the same message, that the jersey rule for inappropriate dress wasn乌鸦传媒檛 to take effect so immediately.
乌鸦传媒淭hey had said the rules didn乌鸦传媒檛 start until the next day,乌鸦传媒� Madison told Peace Arch News Friday. 乌鸦传媒淓veryone was confused as to why we had to wear one.乌鸦传媒�
PAN reported on the issue online last Thursday, after parents took to social media 乌鸦传媒� first in a closed Facebook group, then in response to PAN乌鸦传媒檚 online article 乌鸦传媒� to share concerns and opinions as to how it was handled.
District spokesman Doug Strachan confirmed at that time that the Grade 6 and 7 boys were not included in the dress-code discussion, and that parents were not given advance notice that the girls would be spoken to.
He also said, after consulting with the school乌鸦传媒檚 principal, that the girls 乌鸦传媒渨ere not told乌鸦传媒� that certain clothing could be a distraction. And, he said, the jersey measure was 乌鸦传媒渘ot an institutionalized approach.乌鸦传媒�
Madison, who turned 11 in September, said she understands that some outfits simply aren乌鸦传媒檛 appropriate for school and that 乌鸦传媒渋t should matter if it乌鸦传媒檚 super-inappropriate.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淏ut if it乌鸦传媒檚 off the shoulder, showing the shoulder a little, that should be OK,乌鸦传媒� she said.
A reminder about the school乌鸦传媒檚 dress code was included in the school乌鸦传媒檚 May 2018 newsletter.
乌鸦传媒淐hildren need to be properly dressed for attendance at school. Appropriate dress is primarily the responsibility of parents. If in doubt, be conservative,乌鸦传媒� it states, in part.
乌鸦传媒淥ur only guideline is that dress be in good taste. Clothing should not be offensive or distracting. For example, shorts are acceptable providing that they are not too short. Tops should not reveal bare back, shoulders, or midriff and undergarments should not be visible.乌鸦传媒�
A photo of the outfit Madison had been wearing that day was forwarded to Strachan Friday morning via email, after her mother, Jackie Welch, posted it to Facebook.
Asked for comment regarding whether the district agrees it was inappropriate for school, and to respond to Madison乌鸦传媒檚 assertion that she and her peers were indeed told certain outfits 乌鸦传媒渟ometimes the distract the boys,乌鸦传媒� his response was limited.
乌鸦传媒淭he principal says there was a very positive and fruitful meeting on a school dress code, involving the Parent Advisory Council executive and parents, that will aim at balancing individual liberty, social convention, functionality, community standards and school community values,乌鸦传媒� Strachan said by email late Friday afternoon, referring to a parent meeting held Thursday evening at the 16244 13 Ave. school.
乌鸦传媒淭he conversations will continue.乌鸦传媒�
Parent Derek Thornton 乌鸦传媒� who first brought the matter to PAN乌鸦传媒檚 attention 乌鸦传媒� said Friday that he still felt the matter was 乌鸦传媒渘ot handled very well by the school,乌鸦传媒� though he said Thursday乌鸦传媒檚 meeting brought some relief.
乌鸦传媒淚 feel comfortable/confident that another student will not be made to wear a jersey to cover up and that it sounds like any discussions regarding attire will be done with the parents and not during school/learning hours,乌鸦传媒� he told PAN via email.
