Absolutely unacceptable. At Joplin High School in Missouri, USA, student Kelsey Barber was kicked out of her class for violating the dress code. The young 17 year old girl was wearing a blouse like any other. However, a teacher at the school deemed the outfit inappropriate and claimed ‘bustier women need to wear clothing that cover their cleavage’ and that ‘plus size women need to dress accordingly’.
Discover our latest podcast
Not only was the girl humiliated in front of her classmates, she was also called into the head teacher’s office where her mother was summoned. The head teacher sided with Kelsey’s teacher, whereas Kelsey’s mother sided with her.
Her mother, Melissa Barber, explained that her teacher unjustly sexualised her daughter, and that the student felt so humiliated that she was afraid to go back to school. ‘I refuse to put my daughter in a situation where her self esteem is completely destroyed. She is there to learn’.
After spreading across social media, the high school finally admitted wrongdoing and expressed that the student was unfairly judged.