Two Kids Are Not Allowed To Wear Stud Earrings To School

Two parents are in a struggle with their children who want to wear stud earrings. Both children want to make a fashion statement. One is a boy who wants to embrace his real self. Another is a girl who wants to feel more grown up. First is the story about a mother’s third-grade son who’s not allowed to wear earrings to Galena Park School in Texas. Jordan is a 9-year-old who received the special gift for his birthday on Sunday. He couldn’t wait to wear them to school.

On his birthday, all he wanted was to get his ears pierced and a small pair of gold stud earrings. His mother told ABC 13 that she was not shocked to hear that her son was not allowed to wear his earrings to school.

“I wasn’t surprised,” said his mother, who was asked not to be identified. “His older cousins wear earrings, and so do I. He’s not afraid to express himself through his style.”

Her son went to school Monday with his new earrings. A few minutes later, his mother was called by the school counselor, who told her that his new earrings violated the school dress policy.

“The counselor told me it wasn’t up to her and it was to the school board and she had to enforce the policy,” she said.

Jordan’s ears were covered with band-aids at school. He was told to leave his earrings at home. His mother believes the school policy should be updated to reflect genderless fashion and the current trends. A Galena Park ISD communications officer would not comment on the incident but referred ABC 13 to the school’s handbook. On the first page, it says that boys cannot wear earrings in elementary or middle schools. Jordan’s mother claims she was unaware of the rule.

“I probably wouldn’t have done it, but I still question why it singles out only one sex and not all kids,” she added. “It’s a matter of equality.”

It’s not just happening to boys who want to wear earrings. A father is angry that his daughter was told to remove her simple stud earrings. Saskia Blake from Keystone Close, Worthington, UK, wore her stud earrings with diamantes in the middle. She was told by teachers at Durrington High School that it was against the school dress code. Her father Steven Martin claims teachers were “persecuting” and “bullying” her for no apparent reason.

“At Durrington High School they are crushing children’s personalities, they aren’t letting them be kids and express themselves,” he told the Worthing Herald. “They are there to teach my children, not persecute them.”

Saskia purchased her earrings with her money saved up over the summer. She was looking forward to wearing them and feeling like an adult in Year 10. Steven said she was told by teachers that she would be placed in isolation if she did not remove them. A teacher told her to remove the earrings or to go home. So, the 14-year-old and her brother Connor were picked up by their father on Thursday, Sept. 21. Steven says the incident hurt his daughter’s self-esteem.

“She is depressed by it because she wants to feel like a young girl,” he said. “She said she feels naked without them – those were her own words.”

The school says its dress code requests all earrings to be 3mm plain gold or silver studs. Steven said the difference with Saskia’s stud earrings is the diamante jewels, which do not pose a safety risk. John Fuller, assistant headteacher at Durrington High School, claims they are sticking with their school dress policy.

“Our uniform policy is in line with our high expectations and reflect the school’s core values. We support all of our students in taking great pride in their appearance with their uniform. We work carefully and closely with our students and any issues are resolved swiftly without any further problems, and we are confident in the application of our uniform policy throughout the whole of the school.”

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