School board may ban cross dressing

SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - Thursday, the Suffolk School Board plans to discuss a proposal that will tighten the dress code by banning male students from dressing in girl's clothes at school and vice versa. Administrators say students dressing that way are a distraction.

Fashion is a big part of high school, but school board members believe some students are pushing the limit and, at the same time, putting themselves in danger.

"My main concern is [the] safety of those individuals," School Board Vice Chair Thelma Hinton said.

Hinton said the problem was brought to her attention by teachers. Hinton said she knows of several male students who were wearing makeup, wigs and dresses to class.

"I believe it's wrong because people express themselves in different ways in the school," King's Fork High School senior Sean Artis said.

Artis said his former classmate is openly gay and dressed in women's clothing everyday to school.

"I've talked with the guy and he's perfectly fine," Artis added. "There is nothing wrong with him. It's just the way he feels and if he feels he can express himself that way, he should."

Artis said his classmate was never a distraction, but school board members say they are also worried about safety.

"Freedom of expression is good, but there is a limitation," Hinton said. "Anytime there is a threat upon a child, to me, that's where you draw the line of freedom of expression."

School board members fear cross dressing students could be easy targets for violence. They believe with the ban they can prevent situations like one that happened four years ago in California, where a gay student was shot and killed at school.

"I have a concern," Hinton explained. "It is my legal duty to make sure each child has a safe environment."

"At my school, I have not seen anybody pick on him," Artis added. "I have not seen anybody make fun of him."

The school board is aware that if they do make this part of the dress code there will be some contention from civil rights groups. Board members said they are prepared for the fight in the name of safety. The superintendent will lay out the plan at Thursday night's meeting.