Beaconsfield school sends teen home for 'too-short' shorts

Grade 11 student LindseyStockerand her classmates atBeaconsfieldHigh School in Quebec were told to stand up in class last week so a pair of school officials could look at their outfits.

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Put your arms by your sides,and if your shorts or skirts dont reach your fingertips, youre in violation of the schools dress code, the officials told the students.

Stocker said she felt humiliated.

"When I started explaining why I didnt understand that rule, they didnt really want to hear anything I had to say, and it was in front of my entire class. I felt very attacked and I wanted to tell them how I felt," Stocker said, adding thatmany of the rules in the dress code appear to specifically target girls.

"They should approach it in a way that doesnt target girls at least for startersbecausethats the first problem. They dont really care what guys wear. They just kind of target the girls first."

Stocker left the classroom and printed off about 20 posters inspired by an image onTumblrthat read:Dont humiliate her because she is wearing shorts. Its hot outside. Instead of shaming girls for their bodies, teach boys that girls are not sexual objects and posted them around the school.

Within minutes, the posters were taken down and she was in the principals office. She was suspended for one day for a variety of infractions, Lester B. Pearson School Board chairwomanSuanneStein Day told CBC'sDaybreakFriday.

Stein Day said that the rules apply to both boys and girls.

The boys cant run around with their belt buckle low on their bottoms so they have their underwear showing, she said.

Stein Day said the rules atBHSarent that strict, considering there is no uniform. She added that once the students move into the workforce, they may need to abide by an employer's dress codes.

You have to abide by the rule of your employer, society in general, she said.

Canadian girls told to cover up

In the past month, similar run-ins between students and school administrators have been cropping up elsewhere in Canada.

Earlier this week, about30 students atMenihekHigh Schoolin Labrador City, N.L., were sent home because of attire deemed to have violated the school's dress code including wearing sleeveless shirts and having bra straps exposed.

Last weekTallieDoyle, a Grade 8 student in Ottawa, was told to cover up after attending school wearing a tank top that exposed her bra straps.

In mid-May, aTruro, N.S., teenage girl wasdisciplined after her shorts were deemed too shortby school administrators.

"Her shorts are modest, they're normal length, they're not ripped, they're not torn, they're not too low on the waist. Nothing's showing that shouldn't be showing," saidMakaylaKing's mother, JuliaDavison, of the shorts she helped pick out.

Davisonsaid the reason for the rule offered by the school was that the shorts would be too much of a distraction for the male students and teachers at the school.

"It's being made to look like a lot of the male students and male teachers in the school have that problem, which is completely unfair to them, as well," Davison said.

'Humiliating' dress code check

Stocker's encounter set off a firestorm of activity on social media, and inspired other young women at her school to put on their shorts, too.

FellowBHSstudent LaurenPaquay, 15, showed up to school wearing shorts today. She calledStockersstatement inspiring, adding that the dress code verification making the girls stand up and put their arms by their sides to measure shorts and skirt lengths is humiliating.

"People should be able to express themselves."Paquaysaid.

"People are being judged for the way they dress, they have to change because boys look at them. The boys should be the ones who have to learn to treat women better and look at them in a different light, the young woman continued.

One father dropping off two girls at school today one of whom was wearing a short skirt said he asked his daughter before leaving home whether she was sure she wanted to wear that outfit.

"She said she was good," said BrianDollimore. He said that there are rules for a reason, but that some rules could be excessive.

A maleBHSstudent told CBC News he supports Stocker.

If she doesnt have the right to cool herself down that way, then how else is she supposed to keep cool in 30-degree weather? he said.

Stein Day of the school board agreed with the general sentiment behindStockersletter regarding boys being taught not tosexualizegirls. She told CBC Daybreak host MikeFinnertythat she admiredStockerfor standing up for what she believed in.

I like that shes sticking up for herself, but I think there are more positive ways to achieve your end goals and to make your point. She could have written a project about this, she could have written an essay about this, she could have presented to her classmates and the administration, Stein Day said.

Meanwhile, at least one parent thought Stocker went too far.

Linda Stachula, whose 15-year-old goes to BHS, said Stocker should abide by the rules.

"I think there has to be a dress code, she said. "She went a little extreme on that one."