FHS dress code protest penalties too harsh, parents say

Some parents of Fredericton High School students say the principalis imposing overly harsh penalties on female students who took part in a recent protest against the dress code policy at the school.

About 15 students are facing class suspensions of between three and five days, starting on Tuesday. They have also beenbarred from all extracurricular activities for the remainder of the school year.

A few of the parents met with the superintendent of the Anglophone West School Districton Monday to request a review.

"We argued that there should be an opportunity for parents and students andthe administration atFHSto review what actually happened" before the suspensions are implemented, saidparentJulaHughes.

Gia Milaniagrees. She says she gave her daughterVivi Whalen, written permission to take part in the Nov. 21 protest led by the group Fredericton Youth Feminists and was shocked to learn Friday that she wasfacing suspension.

Viviis an honours student with a 91 per cent average and has never even had detention before, said Milani, who decided to keep her home on Monday.

"I just don't feel that the atmosphere at the school is conducive to a good work environment right now," she said.

Superintendent DavidMcTimoneytold CBC News suspensions are a principal's prerogative.

Principal Shane Thomas says he is willing to re-evaluate the length of the ban on extracurricularactivities, such as prom, sports, junior achievement and various groups. But he says that won't happen until the end of the semester in January.

Thomas says the suspended students will have academic support available to them over the course of the suspension.

Students were not suspended for protesting, but rather for violating the "positive learning workplace" policy by movingthe rally inside the school to the administrative office, said Thomas.

He says their actions upset staff and got too disruptive.

"To the point where we had four police officers involved inside the building. So, you know, it escalated to the point where safety was an issue," said Thomas.

The studentscontend the dress code in the Anglophone West School Districtunfairly targets female students andhas led to female students being kicked out of class.

They also say the rules place the blame for sexual assault and harassment onto the victim.