High School Apologizes For Posting 'Good Girl' Prom Dress Flyers
Florida high school blasted for posting inappropriate, condescending flyers
Another prom season, another year of schools going out of their way to police girl’s bodies. This time it was Stanton College Preparatory School in Jacksonville, Fl who posted flyers of prom dresses in different styles, some which met the school dress code for prom, and others that did not. All of the photos were headed “Going to Stanton Prom?” The dresses that were in compliance with school dress code said, ““Yes you are. Good girl.” Any dresses that didn’t comply with dress code, like backless dresses or dresses with a high slit were labeled, “No, you’re not.”
“Good girl?” Are they addressing young women here, or a dog? It’s one thing for a school to have a dress code when it comes to prom. It’s another for them to praise young women the exact same way we do an animal who’s fetching a rubber ball.
Student Lily Willingham shared a photo of the flyers on Twitter. Other students quickly joined her to call out the flyers on social media, using the hashtag #SCPgoodgirl.
The following day was supposed to be a day when students dressed up for “Tourists Day,” but the student body quickly organized changing it to ‘Women’s Day” instead. They wore the colors purple and white in protest of the flyers. Some made shirts with the female symbol in duct tape.
Fortunately the school agreed with the students, and quickly took steps to remove the posters and issue an apology.
The school district issued a public statement saying the flyers were “not an approved policy by the school or Duval County Public Schools” and that the flyers were “immediately removed” Monday by school administrators. “Please do accept my apology for this poor delivery of information. Our intent is to make sure prom is enjoyable and memorable,” Stanton College Prep Principal Nongongoma Majova-Seane said.
“Both students and staff have been informed this was not acceptable or appropriate guidance for prom dress attire,” reads the statement.
It’s baffling that anyone in the school administration ever thought using the words “good girl” was appropriate. But the amazing thing here is how this group of students united together in order to effect change. Willingham told First Coast News that once the students explained to the administration why they found the flyers so offense, they were quick to own up to their mistake. “They didn’t quite see the issue about it being demeaning to women,” she said. “So once they did realize that that offended us and that we weren’t okay with that they were like, ‘Oh wow, we didn’t see it that way,’ and they apologized.”
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