Teen is sent home over ‘hot’ outfit

Published: 30th June, 2011
by TOM FOOT

A TEENAGER with a life-threatening illness was sent home from school on the hottest day of the year for wearing shorts and “showing too much shoulder”.

Shanah Daniels, 15, who has been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, was told she had failed to meet the new summer dress code at Acland Burghley School, which does not have a school uniform.

Her mum, Natasha Pascoe, who wanted to pull her out of her Year 10 GCSE exams in protest, said she always sent her daughters to the school in Tufnell Park appropriately dressed.

“It’s not like I’ve sent them to school looking like pole-dancers,” said Ms Pascoe. 

“I always check what they’re wearing before they leave. I’ve spoken to the school and they said she was showing too much shoulder. Perhaps they want me to buy some nice frocks for them – but I want them to look a bit girlie. We’re not living in Victorian times.”  

Headteacher Jo Armitage defended the school’s stance, insisting that pupils and parents had been warned over appropriate dress, Ms Pascoe said around 30 children were sent home on Monday – when temperatures soared to a sweltering 30 degrees – for wearing what were considered revealing outfits.

Ms Pascoe said: “I agree with the head that some girls shouldn’t be wearing what they are wearing. 

“Some girls have designer bras and they want to show them off – that’s not right.

“But I think the school should stop worrying about all that, and concentrate on giving them an education. Shanah is doing her exams and she has ­cystic fibrosis. She is terminally ill.”

Shanah’s condition is treated with medication that her mum said sometimes made her sweat more than normal.

Her sister Bridie, 13, was also sent her home on Monday for wearing a dress above her knees – the third time she has been sent home in the past three weeks. 

The “appropriate ­summer dress code” – designed to counter ­perceived sexualisation of young girls – was introduced by the school’s new headteacher Jo Armitage.

Shanah, who has sat on the school’s pupil council, said: “You look around the class and half the kids aren’t there. 

“It’s really hot in there but we have to have the doors closed because of the noise. I know what the school is trying to do but I don’t think they’ve thought it through really.”

The girls said the majority of pupils ­wanted the school to scrap its non-uniform policy because of the confusion. 

She said dozens of pupils, mainly girls, were being sent home for wearing the wrong clothes and some were exploiting the rules to take days off school.

Ms Armitage said: “Uniform or not is a very emotive issue at Acland Burghley – amongst students, staff and parents.  

“Anticipating the hot weather and the very scanty dress that staff reported from previous years, we decided to give students and ­parents a very simple statement of what we expected. 

“Students should be continuously clothed from shoulder to mid-thigh – without gaps at the midriff – and their top should have sleeves. Students and parents had plenty of notice.”

She added: “Certainly for next year Acland Burghley remains a non-uniform school – with an expectation of appropriate dress.”

Ms Armitage said the school was hiring ­graphic designers to help create a new logo for Acland Burghley. 

Hampstead School recently introduced a uniform for pupils.