The mother of a B.C. student who was made to wear a jersey over an outfit deemed 乌鸦传媒渋nappropriate乌鸦传媒� 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乌鸦传媒檚 grandmother.

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乌鸦传媒淪he was pulled into the office, her and one of her friends, (and) told that her shoulders hanging out was too inappropriate for school,乌鸦传媒� Jackie Welch told Peace Arch News Friday, of her daughter Madison乌鸦传媒檚 experience three days ago.

乌鸦传媒淚f her grandmother thought it was cute, how can it be inappropriate?乌鸦传媒�

Surrey school officials, Welch said, 乌鸦传媒渘ever, ever contacted me about it.乌鸦传媒�

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 乌鸦传媒渄iscussion乌鸦传媒� 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 乌鸦传媒渙ne-off乌鸦传媒� to deal with the issue in the moment, and was not an 乌鸦传媒渋nstitutionalized乌鸦传媒� approach.

Many parents took to a closed Facebook page, and then to PAN乌鸦传媒檚 Facebook page after the story went public Thursday afternoon, to voice their opinions on the issue.

Some describe what happened as 乌鸦传媒渞idiculous,乌鸦传媒� others pointed to a need for education, including around 乌鸦传媒渞ape culture.乌鸦传媒� Several expressed concern with the focus on girls, while others were critical of how some youth are dressing.

乌鸦传媒淢aybe some self respect and decorum would go a long way,乌鸦传媒� writes Sandy Evans. 乌鸦传媒淲hy not instill some dignity and class at a young age. Dress for success.乌鸦传媒�

Kim Streifel commented that 乌鸦传媒渟ome schools dress codes are ridiculous乌鸦传媒� when it comes to the girls.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淣ow if the girls are wearing booty shorts or micro minis乌鸦传媒� shame on those parents,乌鸦传媒� Streifel adds. 乌鸦传媒淚 think the school has every right to teach the girls this is inappropriate, if they乌鸦传媒檙e parents are failing to do so. In my opinion.乌鸦传媒�

Cindy Dalglish, a Surrey school board candidate in last month乌鸦传媒檚 civic election, writes it is 乌鸦传媒渧ery troubling乌鸦传媒� that the boys weren乌鸦传媒檛 included in the larger discussion.

乌鸦传媒淲hat a person wears does not give the right for others to assign anything to it,乌鸦传媒� she adds. 乌鸦传媒淚ncluding admin and teachers.乌鸦传媒�

Another commented that the issue is not about boys, but 乌鸦传媒渁bout a child containing their innocence while they still have it.乌鸦传媒�

Welch told PAN she felt the school sexualized her daughter 乌鸦传媒� who is in Grade 6 and turned 11 in September 乌鸦传媒揵y making her wear the jersey.

乌鸦传媒淪he was going to school thinking it was an outfit that she liked,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淎nd it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 the first time she乌鸦传媒檚 worn it.乌鸦传媒�

Welch said she is strict about what her daughter wears, 乌鸦传媒渆ven at home,乌鸦传媒� and that she乌鸦传媒檇 had no concerns with Madison乌鸦传媒檚 choice of attire Tuesday. She posted a photo of Madison in the outfit that got her in trouble at school to PAN乌鸦传媒檚 Facebook page Friday morning 乌鸦传媒渟o people can see it乌鸦传媒� before forming an opinion.

According to a reminder that was included in a May 2018 newsletter, the school dress code乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒渙nly guideline is that dress be in good taste.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淐lothing should not be offensive or distracting. For example, shorts are acceptable providing that they are not too short,乌鸦传媒� the reminder reads, in part.

乌鸦传媒淭ops should not reveal bare back, shoulders, or midriff and undergarments should not be visible.乌鸦传媒�

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乌鸦传媒檚 outfit Friday morning, Strachan was not immediately available to comment further.

The issue was also raised at the school乌鸦传媒檚 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 乌鸦传媒渢hey felt it was 100 per cent inappropriate to be making (the girls) put a jersey on.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淭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,乌鸦传媒� said Welch.

The principal, she was told, 乌鸦传媒渨as quite receptive to the discussion.乌鸦传媒�

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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