Fifty students from the Garrison Secondary School have been suspended from school for a week because of their uniforms.
And parents of some of the students turned up at the school earlier today complaining.
One parent wants the Ministry of Education to make an intervention at the school since children are being deprived of an education over “nit-picking about a half inch here and a half inch there”.
“And the school is getting unnecessary negative publicity with this continued foolishness,” he says.
In a letter signed by principal Matthew Farley, it states: “The school was forced to take this action, since warnings given since full inspection on 6th September, 2010 and at year and form prayers have been ignored. In addition, all parents were circularised at the end of the last school year about our intention to enforce our dress code rules. The action is part of the expression [of] our overall theme for the year which is: ‘A Whole New Attitude’.”
According to Farley’s letter, the students are suspended for five days because their overalls or skirts do not meet the requirement of being two inches or five centimetres below their knees. The letter stated that the knees “must be fully covered with an extra two inches below the bottom of the biscuit”.
Farley says students will be able to resume classes on September 30, by which time the “problem” with their attire must be corrected or they will be subject to a further ten-day suspension. The principal says the school’s dress policy is clear, and has been communicated to students, parents and guardians in writing. (WG)
