(WMC-TV) - The controversy over a transgender student at South Panola High School continues and this time, students are protesting.
About 30 to 40 students at the school say they were not allowed inside Wednesday because they were wearing gym shorts and sweatpants.
The kids violated the dress code in an effort to tell school officials that the special treatment of the transgender student is unfair. The kids say she is violating the dress code by not wearing clothing appropriate for her gender.The student, who we are identifying only as "Leah" because she is a minor, was born male. The student recently came out and announced her
transition to a female. That is when she began dressing to match the gender to which she is transitioning.
Students are protesting Wednesday because they feel they are now being discriminated against because the transgender student is breaking the school's dress code and they are being punished for doing the same thing.
One of the students involved in the protest says it all boils down to rules.
"Told us, 'Everybody that has on jogging pants, follow us.' So we went to the band hall," said senior Logan Roberson. He says all of the
students who violated the dress code were forced to change their clothes.
"That to me is a double standard. What one rule goes for one, one rule goes for all," said parent Allen Jones.
The student handbook states, "Students will dress in conformity with accepted community standards. No student will dress in a manner which will cause other students to be distracted. Students are also expected to wear clothing in keeping with their gender. Sweat pants or athletic gear are not allowed.""How distracting is it for you walk down the hallway and see a boy you've known since kindergarten, now a girl, wearing high heels walking, that's distracting to you," continued Roberson.
School leaders say Leah is not violating the school dress code. They say she is now a female and she dresses like one. Action News 5's call to Leah's ACLU attorney was not returned Wednesday.School leaders say they are in the process of changing the district's dress code.
http://www.wlox.com/story/21415682/stud
ETA:
Angry Parents Mobilize Against Transgender Student in MS With "Prayers for South Panola School District"
Talks about the fb page angry parents created in the name of Christ.
""This page isnt for bashing a single student. its for the people who have strong belief in the Lord and what he does for us that created this
page. the incident that happened yesterday was just an example of not only the governments power but the power of satan.""
ETA: Way to miss the point, other students.
Edited at 2013-02-28 07:43 am (UTC)
Let me clue you in on something, buddy -- Leah's not the one with the problem here.
Students are also expected to wear clothing in keeping with their gender.
...Which is what the kid is doing, so what's the problem, dipshits? This says "gender", not "technical/biological sex".
At least the school is not being an idiot. +1 for them.
Time they learned about life and that the Bible and Church don't define what had how people feel within themselves at the core of their being.
Do you know how badly GIRLS BORN AS GIRLS dress? Just go to anywhere and you will see things only a doctor should be privy to. Stop complaining about jack and just admit to that fact that you are bothered by transexuality.
It bothers you? Look away/get over it/etc...
The school website says that enrollment is about 1100 students. So that means about 1060 students aren't "distracted" by seeing her in heels. They better not back down on letting Leah wear her clothes for the asshole ~4%.
That Deep South Progressive page linked to a pro-Leah response page on FB, which I went to and saw that Leah herself has commented on and her mother has been in contact with them. From there I found Leah's mom's page (yeah, I'm a little squicked in hindsight that I did so :\ ), and I think it's pretty safe to say that she's not merely supporting Leah but is doing so fiercely.
Edited at 2013-02-28 10:03 am (UTC)
Oh, shut up.
I always love a good train wreck, so I gave the "Prayers for South Panola" FB page a look-see. Happily, as of right now, the page owners are getting roundly schooled.
Really, just let people wear what they want to damnwell wear.
the incident that happened yesterday was just an example of not only the governments power but the power of satan.
No. A bunch of people harassing a child and banding together to make a Facebook page to continue that harassment is an example of the power of Satan.
Instead of trying to regulate gender expression, maybe the school could teach that gender isn't inherently binary, that it's a social construction, and that at the end of the day, another person's gender identity and expression has nothing to do with anyone else.
Or even more so, maybe the school should just take discriminatory policies out of its dress code and teach the kids some fucking algebra or something.
Yeah, WTF does it even MEAN? Are girls forced to wear dresses and skirts because pants are "unfeminine"?
and good on the school for defending her, but that's a shitty rule in the first place tbh. if it were the other way around I feel like nothing would have happened because it's ~okay~ for girls to dress like guys. way to go, transmisogynists \o/
Discriminated against... those words don't mean what you think they mean.
Also, boo hoo about "distracting" - get over it and stop fixating on what you think each gender should wear, it's stupid enforcing of gender norms.
As to the dress code, such rules can be instituted without including references to sex or gender.
I am glad Leah seems to be getting so much support from school officials, her parents, and others.
"30 to 40" hu? Could the reporter not get a head count? Is that too much to ask for? This is an awfully vaque range and there are only about 15 in that photo.
Not that it matters. The protest is gross and ignorant but I wonder if the article isn't exaggerating the number much like the other article about a "community" that protested the gay prom when really it was just a handful of parents.
Edited at 2013-02-28 02:53 pm (UTC)