8.30.2007

dress code?

Mother: Dress Code Unfairly Targets Religion

POSTED: 4:17 pm MDT August 28, 2007
The mother of a student who was suspended for violating her school system's dress code says the rules unfairly target religion, WRTV in Indianapolis reported.

Tracy Prochnow said Highland High School in Indiana suspended her daughter, Brittany Brown, on Monday because the junior wore a Christian-themed T-shirt.

Monday was the fourth time Brittany violated the code, which the city's school board implemented this year and requires students to wear khakis and polo shirts.

Prochnow said the school may be violating her daughter's rights, and she has asked the school board to change the code.

"I don't believe it matters what she's wearing -- whether it be a T-shirt and jeans or polo and khakis -- as to what she's going to learn," Prochnow told WRTV.

The front of Brittany's T-shirt features a cross and the words "This Shirt Is Illegal In 51 Countries." The back quotes the Bible's Romans 1:16: "I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God ... the salvation of everyone who believes."

"The school is basically saying I can't wear a shirt that talks about Jesus or Christ or God or any religious type of T-shirt because we have to wear a polo," Brittany said.

Brittany Brown

The school's principal, Mark Finger, said the dress code doesn't target religious beliefs.

"The policy states there are to be no logos or slogans on a shirt," Finger said.

A city council member, Ollie Dixon, said he would work to change the policy. It wasn't clear what changes he would favor.

3 comments:

Mrs. Chili said...

It makes me wonder, though, how much noise these same people would be making to "protect the rights" of students who were coming to school with expressions of OTHER faiths on their persons.

MommaBoo said...

I'm sorry. I don't believe the board was attacking her "witness". She had broken the code THREE other times. The code stated polo shirts and khakis were to be worn, NOT t-shirts and jeans.

I'm all for standing up for religious freedom (regardless of the particular religion) but, to use Christiianity as a way to bully people into allowing t-shirts and bluejeans is wrong. I believe this child is only making a fuss because she wants to wear jeans and t-shirts, not the required polos and khakis.

I believe using religion as a "smokescreen" is wrong.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

Cat. said...

Parents like this make the rest of us look bad. My suggestion is that both mother and daughter spend some time volunteering in a community where having any shirt to wear at all is a luxury.

Oy.