problem resolved

published: February 28 2008 07:31 AM updated:: February 29 2008 03:41 PM

Editor; This letter dated May 19, 2007 was lost in our website and recently came to light -

Update on Seymour Middle School Washington Trip I submitted a letter about my daughter being unable to attend the Washington D.C. trip if she wore black clothing. Since then, there have been changes. The issue was resolved quite satisfactorily by school officials. My daughter was permitted to participate in the field trip and is having a wonderful time and wearing black shirts and black shoes as I write this update. My thanks to Seymour Middle School for resolving this matter so quickly and completely and many thanks to the Seymour Herald for giving me the opportunity to make my opinion known. Tena Johnson

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User Comments

#1 WOW commented, on March 4, 2008 at 2:07 p.m.:

IS IT NOT AMAZING HOW SELECTIVE AND JUDGEMENTAL TO SCHOOL CAN BE? BUT TRY TO PROVE YOUR POINT IN OTHER MATTERS IS UNHEARD OF...
kIDS ARE KIDS AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE BAD, THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES...
GOOD FOR YOU TO KEEP PRESSING THE ISSUE...

#2 Real Question commented, on March 5, 2008 at 3:04 a.m.:

Was she wanting to wear black because she looks nice in it or because she is Goth. If it is the latter then you have a whole nother set of issues coming.

#3 to #2 commented, on March 5, 2008 at 1:13 p.m.:

regardless of the reason the girl was wearing any color of clothing, it does not give the school system the right to discriminate against her. there are laws that say so, which if it were my child I would most definetally have gotten a lawyer and brought some facts to the table about the law...
not to mention the fact that if she was wearing Black all the time, apparently she wasn't a bad child or getting bad grades or she wouldn't have bee allowed to attend the trip to begin with...

#4 been there commented, on March 8, 2008 at 5:39 p.m.:

Just another case of the administration being biased against children who are considered "different". The teachers follow the leadership. If the leadership discriminates, the teachers will too. Seen it happen before at that school. If you are not an athlete or cheerleader, or if your parents don't have money, you are looked down on.

#5 bullies commented, on March 9, 2008 at 12:31 a.m.:

Bullies come in many forms. Some are apparent to everyone, because they are in your face pushing you around. Other bullies are more subtle. They want everyone to conform to behavior they think are the "norm" by forcing you to modifying your behavior to suit them. They humiliate and terrorize the young or weak, to make themselves feel more powerful.

I thought we were all about getting rid of bullying in our schools.

#6 been there more than once! commented, on March 13, 2008 at 1:53 p.m.:

When schools randomly label a child in any category, we have a big problem. It makes no difference whether your child is considered "Gothic, EMO, Freak, Prep, or Jock" and it makes no difference why he or she opts to wear whatever color they desire. That is not the schools affair. Schools here try to poke their nose into the private lives of individuals. More on that later.

Administration and teaching personnel both sometimes discriminate because a child is different and not a "check mark submissive type child" Many of these people who claim to be well intended, will covertly hide their motives and say they are interested in "the child's welfare, their safety, and their best interest." Essentially it is an attempt to control.

Teacher and administrative bullying goes in on Sevier county schools and often goes without consequence. You were right to make some noise. Many parents need to make a lot of noise, as their conduct within these walls (admin and teaching personnel) should be patrolled by the entire community, who the last I looked, funded the bulk of this system with their taxes.

Kids are kids, whether they wear black, pastel, or dotted attire.

It goes something like this. "Please show me the written policy that prohibits dressing totally in black." "Oh...there is not one?" "So this denial of privilege to my child is unwarranted?" "Oh I see!" "What corrective action shall we take?"

Good for you! Sock it to em!

#7 good grief commented, on March 20, 2008 at 11:34 p.m.:

you can't judge a person by the color of clothes they wear. But yes its true many students and teachers label kids that wear black as scary,mean gothic people. Get over it they are just if not better than those of you whom choose to judge. At least they are wearing clothes that doesn't expose as much skin as I have seen some teachers at Seymour. Give it a break and for you teachers you are the one who is suppose to set examples for our children. Now is a good time to start, cut out the flip flops, the shirt sleeves, tight jeans and bearing some back.

#8 fashion police commented, on March 21, 2008 at 4:40 p.m.:

To #7: Talking about examples...Parents, you hold the purse strings in the household. Why do you buy your children clothes you know are against dress code, then blame the teachers? If you buy a pair of $80 tight jeans with the knees out and your daughter wears them to school, who is to blame? If you buy those baggy, draggy, elephant-legged pants with all the chains and your son wears them to school, which teacher do we need to call out on the carpet for influencing your child to break the dress code? Get a grip. Stop blaming the teachers for something YOU should have gotten control of in your own household years ago. YOU should have taken the time to impress upon your child that precious he or she is NOT above the rules. Stop blaming the teachers.

I am sorry that this young lady was judged for the color of the clothes she wears. That was wrong.

Remember, most teachers in this system are raising families of their own on a teacher's salary. After buying my children the clothes they need, there is not much left for me to dress professionally on. I do the best I can with what I have.

#9 good grief commented, on March 21, 2008 at 8:07 p.m.:

Back at you #8
you can't tell me that you cannot afford a pair of shoes on your salary. Like you said it starts at home then look at yourself. Being a teacher you should set examples for your own kids.
Stop wearing Flip Flops, tight jeans with mid-drift buldging out and by far cover up your arms and back. As they say Monkey see Monkey do and you need to set examples to your students. Abide by the dress code.

#10 whoa commented, on March 21, 2008 at 8:13 p.m.:

amen to #9

#11 to #9 commented, on March 22, 2008 at 12:46 p.m.:

Which school are you referring to? I have not seen these kinds of dress code violations by the teachers at the school where I teach.
Oh, and by the way, I am a good example to my children. My children wear clothes that are well within dress code limitations. Can you say the same about your own?

I have seen mothers come in wearing short shorts and halters to pick up their children. When I see these examples, I can understand the actions of the students better; the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.