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Revolt over Catholic school's ball dress code

Author
Newstalk ZB staff ,
Publish Date
Wed, 25 May 2016, 9:43AM
This ball dress has been said to be 'too exposed' and banned from the ball following the new school rules (Change.org).
This ball dress has been said to be 'too exposed' and banned from the ball following the new school rules (Change.org).

Revolt over Catholic school's ball dress code

Author
Newstalk ZB staff ,
Publish Date
Wed, 25 May 2016, 9:43AM

UPDATED: 1.27pm Dresses with plunging necklines, low backs and leg splits above the knee are being banned from a west Auckland's school ball.

Students are rallying against the move by St Dominic's College in Henderson with an online petition which has over 3000 signatures.

The school's demanding there be no cleavage showing at July's ball and is telling students the back of their dress can't dip below the armpit.

The rules have been confirmed by several St Dominic's students. The students will not be named after school authorities warned students not to talk to media.

Girls who had bought dresses prior to the dress code announcement had to take photos of the front and back to the school and get them approved by the associate principal, said one student.

"So we've got a dress code on the back, the front, the length of the slit which all changed from last year which is pretty bum, but we just have to put up with it," she said.

Many students had already been told their newly purchased dresses were "too exposed" for showing too much back or cleavage and wasted their money, the petition claims.

"Since when has a girls' back caused such outrage for being 'too exposed'? This is sexualising a girls' body and sending the message that they must be covered up and feel ashamed of showing skin," the petition said.

The above photo of the mint dress is one of the many dresses that have been told are 'too exposed' and banned from the ball.

The same student said: "There's a lot of student pressure to do something about it. My parents don't really care but some parents have written in to the school about it."

A concerned parent from St Dominic's told Leighton Smith while she agrees there should be some restrictions on the way students dress at the ball, the new regulations go too far.

"Finding school ball dresses that conform to what these new requirements ask, I would say you would probably have to visit a middle-eastern shop and find something in black with a face mask."

Girls are also being told they can only bring a date if they're in a serious relationship.

A student said they were only allowed to take male partners from Liston College, the St Dominic's brother school with whom the ball is be hosted. Same sex couples are also allowed.

The concerned parent said asking students to be in a "serious relationship" in order to take a date to the ball is unreasonable.

She said she'd be very worried if her teenager was in a serious relationship at that age, and it's very difficult to define.

"A lot of teenagers consider just holding and meeting after school in a relationship on their Facebook update status. Our age [group] would probably consider a relationship as a sexual relationship."

She backs the school in putting in place some guidelines for modest dress - but said they're going a bit far and need to find a better middle-ground.

Some of the students outside the Catholic school's gate this morning said the move is stupid, and goes too far.

"Well we got one of the rules to not take our shoes off. That was because she said that it would look messy and they also said to cover our back because it would look too sexual."

Students told us the rules make them feel like they're being sexualised.

St Dominic's Principal Carol Coddington says it's been blown out of proportion.

She says the dress code is not severe, and a photo of a dress circulating online which is said to be inappropriate, is misrepresenting the case.

Parents are also being encouraged to email the school about the issue.

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