Student Forced To Cover Scars

[coffeeFreak]

What the hell Penticton High School!?! As if kids seeing someone else's self-harming scars are going to give them ideas...sheesh!!!

A group of students at Penticton Secondary School are fighting against a ruling ordering a grade-nine student to wear long sleeves at all times to cover scars.

Taya Kampe, who has self-harm scars on her forearm, was given a letter from the school which included a requirement to "ensure that long-sleeved shirts are worn while at school," which the letter said was to avoid creating an unwelcome environment to other students.

The requirement was part of a letter of assurance written on Jan. 11 for "re-entry into Penticton Secondary School," which was issued "in light of Taya's behaviour and academic achievement."

Kampe said she would've been expelled if she didn't sign the letter. She spoke out about it to friends on Friday — nearly a month later— who took exception to the long-sleeves requirement.

A group of Kampe's friends, who are Grade 10 students at the school, started a dress code petition shortly after for her, which calls to "support our rights as students to not feel ashamed for having scars."

The students said more than 250 people signed the petition by mid-day Saturday, noting the signees included students, parents and community members. They plan to bring the petition to the Okanagan Skaha School District.

"We really want to reiterate we don't wish for anything bad to happen to our school and our principals. We think they're wonderful people, we just think they have a bit of misguided judgement," Brooke Hauschied said, one of the petition organizers.

The students said councillors advised against them creating the petition and that their principals threw out some of their signature pages.

Another organizer of the petition, Oliver Jansen, said the students are hoping to invoke change in the conversation about self-harm, and said it's harmful if students are forced to feel like they need to hide their situation.

"We do understand what (the school) is trying to do, they're trying to make it so other students don't see that (self-harm scars) and think it's something they should do too. But they're going about it the completely wrong way," Jansen said.

Kampe said she has abided by the letter and worn long sleeves every day at school since signing it, adding she's glad she spoke out to friends about her concerns.

"I went from (Friday) being the worst day of my life to being as happy as I could be, to see all my friends come together and doing all this for me. I never expected it, that's why I hid this for so long."

School District 67 Superintendent Wendy Hyer declined to comment on the situation, citing privacy concerns. She said parents/guardians unhappy with a principal's decision can appeal it through the district's bylaws.

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-218007-21-.htm#218007

[Fancy]

What the hell Penticton High School!?! As if kids seeing someone else's self-harming scars are going to give them ideas...sheesh!!!

It has been known to happen. The school wouldn't have taken such a drastic step without some investigation into it.

[coffeeFreak]

It has been known to happen. The school wouldn't have taken such a drastic step without some investigation into it.

Well, I find these actions to be very archaic. To me, it says a lot for her to show these scars, as it is a public admission that she has issues...and pain. And if anyone gets ideas from scars, well, then they really need help too. We can't continue to candy coat and bubble wrap our kids from the realities of life.

[the truth]

just another perfect example of the over educated in charge, who are clueless about everything they do

[kgcayenne]

WTH! Self harm, a manifestation of mental illness, most often stems from deep emotional pain. An alarming number of Okanagan children take their own lives. (Info from paramedics). This story has me asking many questions between feeling of sadness and absolute rage.

Is her underlying pain being addressed?
Why does the school think they should sweep this girl’s illness under the rug? Are they essentially saying: “shush shush shush, we can’t look like we’re failing miserably.”?

My other questions relate to how small towns absolutely SUCK for certain teenagers, are highly speculative, and would do nothing but incite discord.

I wouldn’t say these administrators are over educated at all, they clearly haven’t kept-up with the concept of opening up to mental illness dialogue.

[common_sense_guy]

What the hell Penticton High School!?! As if kids seeing someone else's self-harming scars are going to give them ideas...sheesh!!!

It has been known to happen. The school wouldn't have taken such a drastic step without some investigation into it.

I'm just curious since you said it's been known to happen. Where has it been known to happen. And if you can answer that where it has been known to happen have any of the rulings been in favor of the school?

[common_sense_guy]

The school and or Administration people involved are going to take a hit on their reputation for this one I think and Hope.

[RUEZ]

This group of idiots has no right to ask a student to cover their scars because it makes them uncomfortable. I hope they come to their senses or they get sued.

[Even Steven]

Wait, what? Kids scar themselves on purpose?

When did this become a thing?

[kgcayenne]

It has been a 'thing' for a very long time. These children are in so much turmoil, that by cutting themselves, they divert their attention to a physical, identifiable pain of which they are in control.

[jasonjb]

Wait, what? Kids scar themselves on purpose?

When did this become a thing?

Since at least the 90s

[Queen K]

Wait, what? Kids scar themselves on purpose?

When did this become a thing?

It's a self-harm trend to "cut" and it's growing. There are sites where kids show off their scars too. It became a thing a while back, who knows what year, maybe 30 years ago.

Even J.K. Rowling included self-harm in her book, The Casual Vacancy. A daughter who can do right in the eyes of her mom and dad self cuts in a closet in her own bedroom.

I don't disagree with the School's decision. It's not about their comfort level or that the student might inspire others to self-harm.

It's about the cruel, ignorant and stupid things other kids say to the student. Which may in turn trigger real self destruction.

GEEZ, even Riverdale touched on this type of subject. The South Side Snakes aren't allowed to wear their "skins" or gang member jackets in school. Guess what, the Principal is made to look wrong and stupid, and teens rule. Guess what, I disagree with the undermining of authority and who is in control of the schools. Not the kids, they should not be encouraged to believe that all school rules are a misjudgement by the adults.

In this case, cover the scars at school, how hard is it? To be respectful during school hours?

Rip the sleeves off directly after "school is out." For all we know, that's when the teen will learn that not all school rules are stupid.

[jimsenchuk]

*removed*

[Chixabomb]

We should not be shaming our youth for self-harm, or "protecting" their peers from seeing evidence of mental illness. We should be educating and providing a safe and inclusive environment. This girl will wear her pain on her sleeve every day until those scars fade, the only way for her to move past that shame is acceptance. Acceptance from her peers, her parents, educators and community. Penticton Secondary, you have a chance to rally around a young girl and support her. Don't choose to tear her down by labelling her and forcing her to be anyone other than exactly who she is. Put my name down on the petition.

[Chixabomb]

.

In this case, cover the scars at school, how hard is it? To be respectful during school hours?

And how about in the hot weather, when this girl arrives at school to all her peers wearing trendy summer outfits and she's forced to wear a long sleeve shirt? How hard do you suppose that would be, physically and emotionally? Wouldn't that make you not want to go to school? Do we need to give our youth a reason to avoid school? Don't we wish this girl to enjoy her education so she can go on to do great things?

I don't see an aspect of disrespect here if she wants to wear a t shirt, what does it matter? It's her body! Why, why(!?) do we feel the need to shame this child. Have some compassion.