Boys Dress like Girls
April 14, 2010 by Dan
Filed under Parent's Advice
By Fox Nation
Apr. 14, 2010
A school superintendent in New Jersey says a “misunderstanding” led an elementary school teacher to mandate that all students — including young boys — dress as women in a now-canceled fashion show to honor Women’s History Month.
Maple Shade Township School Superintendent Michael Liven good said the show, which had been scheduled for Friday at Maude Wilkins Elementary School, has been canceled.
“I wish the letter had been clearer and had been worded differently,” Livengood told FoxNews.com, referring to a letter sent home to the children’s parents last week informing them of the assignment.
“But it was a misunderstanding. It was meant to demonstrate students’ awareness in women’s roles, and along with that, their changes in fashion over time.”
In a 16-page packet sent home with students, teacher Tonya Uibel alerted parents that all students in her third grade class would have to participate in the activity, since it would be graded as an “end of unit” assignment.
The packet also included suggestions of how students may dress, including fashions from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s like bellbottoms, poodle skirts and cheerleader outfits. Photographs of fashion icons like Twiggy and Madonna are also included.
“If your child is a young man, he does not have to wear a dress or skirt, as there are many time periods where women wore jeans, pants and trousers. However, each child must be able to express what time period their outfit is from.
Most of all, your child should have fun creating their outfit and learning about how women’s clothing has changed!”
Livengood said students will now be asked to a draw a picture of a person dressed in clothing from a specific time period as the lesson plan’s culminating project.
He said the school’s principal, Beth Narcia, had not received “one single” complaint pertaining to the event from parents. But one parent told FoxNews.com she contacted Uibel directly after her 9-year-old son came home “in tears” after getting the assignment.
“My son was very upset,” said Janine Giandomenico. “He said, ‘Mommy, please don’t make me do this.'”
ALSO:
READ THE LETTER SENT HOME TO PARENTS ABOUT THE ‘FASHION SHOW ‘ (PDF FORM)
Fox Radio’s Todd Starnes’s Report
Source: Fox Nation
Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com