Student Suspended for wearing a dress.

[BlackWidower]

Maybe it's because I'm not gay or a crossdresser, but I can't see why someone would want to subject themselves to possible embarrassment, ridicule, and scorn for something like that. There are some battles worth fighting, but fashion doesn't seem like one of them. I realize there's a gender-identification thing wrapped up in all this, but I don't think kids are going to stop and consider that before they bully him into oblivion. That's a whole other issue in itself though, and one that I imagine will change with time. Hell if I know how to ease the transition though.

I'm willing to bet this kid has thicker skin then you might think.

 

[lacktheknack]

He should have come with a change of clothes, and been sent home for the day if he didn't (with further stipulation that he could come back in normal clothing the same day if he wished).

It has nothing to do with non-conformity, it has everything to do with ruining class atmosphere and being a truly epic distraction.

Suspension? A bit strong.

 

[WhiteandNeardy99]

Of course, I'm outraged on his behalf, just like most people here, but I particularly liked this:

""I was pretty," said Saurs."

That's just adorable.

That made me laugh too. I immediately pictured a guy in a dress with a 'Me Gusta' face saying it.

Oh yes, before I forget; expression of frustration, indignant assertion, sarcastic statement.

This is bullshit, people get hung up over the silliest things these days, school needs to realise it's 2011 not the 1800's, respectively.

Thing is he would have probably got away with it in the 1800's, when you see pictures from back then there are plenty of people wearing dress like garments, robes, gowns etc.

 

[Silver PBall]

It sounds like quite the debacle, a boy in drag at school who normally isn't. Did they suspend him for the dress, or for disrupting education? I don't care what he wears, but if I were a teacher, I'm sure it would have been rough to get across to students who are cracking jokes, etc about the boy in drag.

 

[aei_haruko]

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43444840

PORT ORCHARD, Wash. ? A 15-year-old boy has been suspended from school after wearing high heels and a dress to school as a part of a challenge laid down by his mother.

Sam Saurs, a ninth grader at Sedgwick Junior High School in Port Orchard, said he told his mother that wearing high heels wouldn't be that hard. Saurs' mother challenged him to try it and he accepted. To take it even further, he decided to wear a dress, too.

"I was pretty," said Saurs.

After Saurs showed up at school Wednesday in the dress and heels, the school suspended him for the remainder of the year. That suspension was later reduced to three days. But, Saurs won't be allowed to go to the ninth grade dance or the class party at Wild Waves.

Saurs said he was disappointed it got him kicked out of school.

"If anything, it makes me want to be more out there and more spontaneous and crazy," he said.

Saurs has been suspended before for wearing makeup and hats to class.

His mother, Ivanna Leible, said she did not complain about the suspension since the school does have a ban on hats, but she said there is no rule against boys wearing dresses in the student handbook.

"I found that very offensive. They told him he couldn't be him," said Leible.

The South Kitsap School District said the issue has been resolved and would not make any further comment about the incident.

To clarify, this is a public school (meaning taxpayer funded). I think it's ridiculous to deny someone education via suspension simply for being nonconforming. The biggest problem is that this wasn't written anywhere. Are they trying to teach students that written rules don't matter?

Shouldn't the law which struck down "dresses only for girls" dress codes also have stricken "pants only for boys"?

Title (a) Prohibition against discrimination; exceptions. No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance

Or do boys just have less of a right to wear dresses than girls do to wear pants?

granted I thought it was stupid, what if he was being too much of a distraction for the rest of the kids and impeading on their education. Just saying, like if he acts too flamboyant don't they have a right to ask him to leave?

 

[Icaruss]

Not my thing, but if a guy wants to wear a dress let em.Wonder what his dad said? hes heavy attention whoreing.

 

[JoeThree]

The article states that the kid had been suspended in the past for wearing make up and a hat. Now the hat?, whatever, but if he's been suspended for weaing make up maybe he is transgender, in which case his mother damn-well should go on the offensive in this regard. Hell, being transgender could easily explain what motivated the conversation about heels, and what set up the bet in the first place. And frankly, as someone else said, even if he's not, this is a perfect opportunity to establish a precident to save some future transgender kid a hassle, since clearly there's some strong persecution against them at this school.

There is a HUGE difference between being an attention whore and standing up for what you believe in, whether it's for yourself, a loved one, or a stranger.

 

[rsvp42]

Maybe it's because I'm not gay or a crossdresser, but I can't see why someone would want to subject themselves to possible embarrassment, ridicule, and scorn for something like that. There are some battles worth fighting, but fashion doesn't seem like one of them. I realize there's a gender-identification thing wrapped up in all this, but I don't think kids are going to stop and consider that before they bully him into oblivion. That's a whole other issue in itself though, and one that I imagine will change with time. Hell if I know how to ease the transition though.

I'm willing to bet this kid has thicker skin then you might think.

Here's hoping. I learned pretty early what school kids did and didn't approve of (i.e. don't wear boy scout socks, even if they're the only clean socks). I decided that not getting hassled by assholes was preferable to being visually quirky. I think I was better off for it since I was basically free of any bullying by the time I got into high school. It let me focus on things that actually make me unique like my drawing and cartooning. I've never really defined myself by my clothes beyond being a "t-shirt and jeans guy" so I guess it's not an issue with which I can empathize.

More on topic though, one could argue that a boy in a dress is "distracting" and thereby lump it into the same category as crazy hats or wild hairdos. The rule book might not have explicitly said "dresses" were against the rules, but a general rule about distracting attire could cover such cases.

 

[LetalisK]

Meh. If some girl wants to get covered in acid, hacked with machetes and set on fire, who are we to stop her?

So I take it you think suicide should be illegal?

 

[Dags90]

You're absolutely right and that is also a very good point. I did know that about the US education system (and off-topic, personally I think it's not a great admissions system. People should have choice) but it didn't occur to me about it. What happens then if a student is expelled from the school they're meant to go to? Surely there's a system to allow them to attend elsewhere under those circumstances?

And I see your point how it isn't so simple a choice when there isn't an easy alternative available. But irrespective of that, even if the school were the only one within a 100 mile radius he still contravened what is a reasonable rule to attend it. Unreasonable or illegal rules I would absolutely fight for the student's rights, and also in this specific case if the punishment were harsher with the existing reasonable rules.

But there's nothing wrong with a school enforcing reasonable rules to encourage the greater majority of their students to grow academically and personally to be the best they can, to experience the most they can offer them and prepare them for university and/or the real world. The real world where, rightly or wrongly, most employers will not have a man in a dress or with swear words tattooed on their foreheads in a customer facing role like behind the bar or a till.

There is in fact no such system to ensure students who have been expelled from a public school have reasonable access to education. You can move or you can pay private tuition. There are some protections to keep students from being kicked due to one person's vendetta, but they aren't great. For suspensions greater than 10 days the Board of Education has to be involved. This is probably a big part of why it was reduced to 3 days suspension. If you can afford a private lawyer, your chances of not being expelled are pretty good. As an example, my brother was brought up for expulsion for (accidentally) bringing a pocket knife to school. He avoided it because we could afford a private lawyer who managed to get it reduced to a suspension for the rest of the year. Another girl at our school actually stabbed another student, but managed to negotiate free homeschooling with the school Board. You apparently have as much of a right to an education as you can afford.

I think much of the stink about this is that, while a rule against heels might be reasonable, there's a good chance a girl wouldn't have been initially suspended for a year over it. Or even three days.

And rules about clothing being "distracting" are so vague and subjective. I think bright day-glo colors are distracting, but I don't think people should be barred from wearing them.

 

[Aetera]

I always found it weird that it's socially acceptable for girls to wear typically boyish things while it's supposedly unacceptable for guys to wear girlish things. It's really not fair at all. It's a double standard. If he's not allowed to wear a dress, heels, and make-up, the girls shouldn't be allowed to wear pants.

If they're banning one gender from wearing clothes of the other gender, it should go both ways, or not at all.

 

[Lamppenkeyboard]

At least at my high schools, boys had to wear pants, girls had the option to wear anything not overly revealing. If this was a rule set down already (no high heels at the school/ no boys wearing dresses) that is understandable simply because being a student at that school you effectively don't have rights.

Trying to suspend him for the rest of the school year is bullshit however.

 

[Dags90]

If this was a rule set down already (no high heels at the school/ no boys wearing dresses) that is understandable simply because being a student at that school you effectively don't have rights.

Maybe were you're from, but in the U.S it's nonsense, bullpucky, crapola, untrue, false.

Students have plenty of rights, not the full rights of an adult citizen, but there are limits. Girls actually legally won the right to go to school in pants in a law which said that boys and girls have to be treated equally at schools.

 

[dex-dex]

I am a bit weirded out by saying this but he looks pretty good in it.
which makes me sad because I can never pull off a dress.
also damn those heels!
but I agree that it is so stupid. if it was a school with a uniform then I could understand but as long as they don't have a cade for students wearing dresses, they have no right to suspend him.

 

[Ace of Spades]

He wore an outfit that would be disruptive, therefore he should have been made to change clothes, but suspension is overly harsh.

 

[thiosk]

Its a huge distraction. Whether you love that he's making a distraction, or hate that wearing a dress is distracting, the reality is this kid is making everyone pay attention to him rather than their studies. There should be no legal requirement for schools to be bastions of unfettered self-expression.

 

[ranasan]

I think the main reason for the suspension was because the attire was distracting the other students. Say all you want about them being closed minded, but what are they supposed to do when no one in class is paying attention because they are too busy focusing on the boy in the dress and high heels?