A proposed school district-wide dress code policy in Chilliwack that would allow girls to wear clothes such as B次元官网网址渟paghetti strapsB次元官网网址� and short shorts is moving ahead after a heated debate.
The district currently doesnB次元官网网址檛 have a policy and leaves it up to each school to decide what is appropriate for students.
Trustee Willow ReicheltB次元官网网址檚 proposal is essentially less restrictive than the ones in place at each school, and focuses on student expression and family choices in clothing. She said it is almost identical to a policy in Victoria.
The school board voted 4-3 in favour of the policy in theory, depending on what comes out of session for public input.
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Trustees were strictly divided on the topic of studentsB次元官网网址� clothing, making several amendments, and some trustees claiming others were pushing an B次元官网网址渋deology.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 do believe modesty is important,B次元官网网址� said trustee Darrell Furgason, adding girlsB次元官网网址� clothing distracts boys so the onus is on them to dress modestly.
B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 wisdom for not causing distraction,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淣ot wearing revealing clothing is just wisdom.B次元官网网址�
Furgason also said in his years as a teacher, he would have found it distracting to be sitting across from a girl who was B次元官网网址渋mmodestlyB次元官网网址� dressed.
Heather Maahs called the proposal B次元官网网址渕icro-managing,B次元官网网址� saying restrictions such as not showing bra straps protect vulnerable students from B次元官网网址減redators.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淧impsB次元官网网址� at Chilliwack Middle School are preying on girls who wear revealing clothes, she told the meeting, and who B次元官网网址渓ook for the wrong kind of attention.B次元官网网址�
Reichelt has said sheB次元官网网址檚 fighting for a dress code policy that does not discriminate against girls.
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In the public participation portion of the board meeting, Meghan Reid pointed to her daughter CharlotteB次元官网网址檚 modest outfit of a tank top, a heavy sweater, and jeans.
B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 been dress-coded in this outfit,B次元官网网址� Reid said, because a small portion of her bra strap was showing.
Reid, a former parent advisory council executive and a member of five such councils over the years, told the board that parents are not currently involved in the creation or amendments of the school-based dress codes.
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