Kamloops student not responsible for reactions to dress, advocate says

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the student was sent home because of her attire. It has since been updated to reflect the fact that while a teacher did tell her that her clothing was inappropriate, she was not ordered to leave.

KAMLOOPS (NEWS 1130) – Teachers are responsible for creating a safe learning environment, not policing how students dress, according to an advocate after a Grade 12 student in Kamloops says she was called out by a teacher for violating a school dress code.

Chris Wilson posted a video on Facebook, questioning why his daughter Karis was told to leave NorKam Secondary School in Kamloops for wearing a knee-length lace-trimmed dress over a white turtleneck sweater. He has since clarified that after a teacher commented that her clothing was considered inappropriate, Karis made the decision to go home.

Alix Dolson with the Kamloops Sexual Assault Counseling Centre says the staff at her organization were “disappointed, but not surprised.”

She says it’s not the first time something like this has happened, but it needs to stop.

“The responsibility there falls on the adults, who are tasked with keeping her safe and creating a learning environment where everyone can be safe and respected. If a student can’t go to school wearing a turtleneck, I’m not sure what else they’re expecting of their female-identifying students,” Dolson said.

RELATED: B.C. student says black dress, white turtleneck deemed inappropriate at school

On Tuesday, Karis says she spent 20 minutes working in class before she was pulled out into the hallway.

She says she was told that the dress she was wearing was inappropriate and that it made her teacher — a woman — and a male student teacher uncomfortable because it reminded them of a slip.

Karis says she didn’t even know what a slip was and that she was simply trying to express herself, adding she felt confident wearing the outfit.

“I was shocked and I felt sad. I was holding back tears because I was embarrassed and I didn’t want to run back into my class crying,” she told CityNews.

Dolson says it’s disappointing that “harmful” dress codes are still being enforced, “But it’s not surprising. That’s a product of the culture that we live in.”

She adds the onus isn’t on Karis, or any other student, to cater to how others will respond to their clothing.

“It’s not up to the students to be responsible for how other people are feeling about their outfits. If folks are having a response to that, that’s on them to consider and reflect on. And if the teachers were having a response to an outfit … there’s some critical reflection needed, on the part of those teachers,” Dolson said.

She says she’s proud to see students standing up for themselves and parents standing by their kids.

The Kamloops-Thompson School District is reviewing the complaint.

“We understand the parent is concerned about what happened to his daughter at school yesterday. We are also concerned about these allegations and are treating them seriously. The incident is currently under review. We will not comment on the incident specifically. Whenever a parent is concerned about their child at school we want to work with them for the best outcome for the student,” the district said in a statement.

For her part, Karis agrees there should be a dress code at schools but that students should also be allowed to express themselves within those guidelines.

“It’s better to teach boys to control themselves than to teach women to cover themselves.”

Students at NorKam Secondary staged a walkout Wednesday afternoon in support of Karis. Armed with signs and chants, students marched out of class to make a statement and stand in solidarity with the high schooler.

– With files from David Zura and Mike Lloyd