The outfit that got Karis sent home from school - a white skivvy under a knee-length black dress. Photo / Facebook
The outfit that got Karis sent home from school - a white skivvy under a knee-length black dress. Photo / Facebook
A father has vented his fury after his daughter was sent home from school in Canada for wearing a high-necked, long-sleeved outfit a teacher said made her feel "uncomfortable".
Chris Wilson said his 17-year-old daughter Karis went to school "feeling good about herself" in a knee-length black dress worn over a long-sleeved white skivvy.
But in class, a female teacher singled out the year 12 student because of her outfit, saying it made her and the male teacher's assistant "feel uncomfortable".
Karis, from British Columbia, Canada, was sent to the principal's office and then home.
Voicing his anger in a Facebook video, Wilson said Karis walked home "in tears" after the humiliating incident.
"I'm pretty upset at this happening in 2021," the visibly angry dad said.
"I can't even explain how disappointing it is that in 2021, a teacher [would] centre a student out and say, 'What you're wearing is making people feel uncomfortable', and drag her down to the office."
Today my daughter was sent home for wearing clothing that made her female teacher and her male Student teacher “feel uncomfortable”. Centered out in front of her class and told she needs to leave class and brought her to the VP’s before she went home in tears. After asking her how she would like me to handle it she said she wanted to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen to the students that come after her. Please stand with Karis and I and make sure that those involved are held accountable and that this never happens again. #imwithkaris
Wilson's video on Facebook has been viewed more than 79,000 times and received more than 700 comments. Many people have been outraged by how Karis was treated.
Wilson told CBC he thought the issue with the outfit might have been the lace detailing on the dress.
"It's actually a very modest outfit when you actually look at it," he said.
Meanwhile, people are posting photos of their outfits and messages of support with the hashtag #imwithkaris in solidarity with the year 12 student.
Karis' classmates held a protest over how she was treated. Photo / Jamie Maclean, Facebook
The school did not respond to CBC's request for a comment.
Wilson described the situation as "absurd".
Wilson said when he spoke to the vice principal about the incident, he was told the teacher who complained about Karis' outfit was "a little bit old-school" — but the school's dress code stated outfits should not "distract from teaching or learning".
The incident has sparked anger among Karis' classmates at Norkam Senior Secondary School, who staged a walkout to protest about how she was treated.
The students gathered outside the school with posters reading "My education is more important than what I wear" and "Am I distracting you with my midriff?"
