UPDATE - ACLU warns against dress code ban

[Shana A]

ACLU warns against dress code ban

WAVY-TV
updated 2/10/2012 6:45:20 AM ET

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46336623#.TzVCjV1EYas

Members of the Suffolk School Board said they aren't backing down on the issue of banning cross dressing in schools. If the ban passes, male students will not be allowed to dress in female clothing and vice versa.

Only one member at Thursday night's meeting expressed doubt about changing the dress code.

A transgendered individual also spoke out at the meeting, asking the board to reconsider the ban.

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Board discusses dress code
Published 11:53pm Thursday, February 9, 2012
By Tracy Agnew

http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/2012/02/09/board-discusses-dress-code/

School Board members discussed a new dress policy that would prohibit students cross-dressing in school during their board meeting Thursday night.

While they did not make any decision on the policy, they did get a very definite message from a transgender man who came to the meeting to express his concerns.

"There's a way to combat this, and it's not through forcing kids to deny who they are," Julian Long said.

Long, a Norfolk resident, reported being bullied and beat up "on a daily basis" when he was in school because he wore boys' clothing and kept his hair short, even though he had been born a girl. When he reported it to his teachers, they said, "You brought it on yourself."

[Felix]

Virginia school district ponders banning cross-gender dress

The Chicago Tribune
Matthew A. Ward Reuters
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-virginia-clothing-gendertre81a0p7-20120211,0,5715335.story

SUFFOLK, Va (Reuters) - A Virginia school district is considering banning cross-gender dressing in a move proponents said aims to protect students from harassment, but which civil liberties and gay rights groups said would amount to an assault on free speech.

Board members said they wanted to protect the children in the school district in Suffolk, about 20 miles from Norfolk, from the types of tragedies such as killings and suicides tied to bullying in other parts of the country.

The proposed dress code would prohibit students from wearing clothing "not in keeping with a student's gender" and that "causes a disruption and/or distracts others from the education process or poses a health or safety concern."

[Felix]

Virginia school retreats from proposed cross-dressing ban

Reuters
Matthew A. Ward
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/06/us-virginia-crossdressing-idUSTRE8251QR20120306

A Virginia school district backed down from a plan to ban cross-gender dress by students after civil liberties and gay rights groups criticized the measure, and one threatened to sue.

School board members proposed the ban in early February, saying they wanted to protect children in the school district in Suffolk, about 20 miles from Norfolk, from killings and suicides tied to bullying in other parts of the country.

[spacial]

When he reported it to his teachers, they said, "You brought it on yourself."

This bit disturbs me particularly.

Setting aside whether we agree or not with other issues.

Is this school encouraging or even tolerating, the use of beatings, by self appointed judges, for those that break rules or conventions?

Because that is exactly what that claim amounts to.

[Felix]

This bit disturbs me particularly.

Setting aside whether we agree or not with other issues.

Is this school encouraging or even tolerating, the use of beatings, by self appointed judges, for those that break rules or conventions?

Because that is exactly what that claim amounts to.

When my daughter was little she got bullied and hit at school. I brought it to the attention of staff and they said the same thing. They said if she would just stand up for herself she wouldn't be treated so badly. It was horrible. I had to get a lawyer to even get them to make an IEP for her. I've seen lots of schools like this. The system is broken.