Girls forced by principal to show underwear at school dance

May 1, 2002 9:26 AM

Girls forced by principal to show underwear at school dance What in the blazes is going on in schools these days that allows idiots like this to be administrators? First strip searching primary school kids, now forcing young ladies to lift their skirts and pull down their blouses to prove that they are wearing "appropriate underwear"? If only we were still allowed to keelhaul people.
posted by dejah420 (41 comments total)

I'm not sure how many people on mefi are in, or recently graduated from high-school, but this kind of thing isn't that uncommon. Ever since columbine ( I was a Junior at the time) teachers and administration can do just about anything they want.

The school administration isn't even the worst part, it's the rediculous Board's of Education that usually pass the stupidest stuff. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this "no thongs" policy wasn't passed down from the B.O.A. to the school.

The silliest thing about this is the fact that if the teachers didn't lift the girls' skirts to check the girls' underwear, no one would be able to know what kind of underwear they were wearing anyway.
posted by untuckedshirts at 9:35 AM on May 1, 2002

According to the article, "appropriate underwear" isn't even a requirement of the school dress code. It seems this was the horrifically moronic crusade of the vice principal (and one other teacher.)

Me, I'm thinking a boot to the skull would be an appropriate punishment for the VP, after she has been terminated.
posted by Danelope at 9:37 AM on May 1, 2002

Here's a link to a local news report about the situation, and here's a link to the school administration page, should you feel compelled to give them your opinion on adults lifting the skirts of girls to check their undies.
posted by dejah420 at 9:44 AM on May 1, 2002

Yes! All morning long I've been saying "We need to keelhaul somebody."

(The Freak Age Factor hard at work, obviously, but it still gets me.)

Er, as to your question "How are idiots like this getting to be administrators of our schools?": My guess is that other idiots are putting them there.
posted by Kikkoman at 9:46 AM on May 1, 2002

And for Danelope, here's a link to the infamous "Boot to the Head" song. :)
posted by dejah420 at 9:47 AM on May 1, 2002

According to the article, "appropriate underwear" isn't even a requirement of the school dress code.

actually, if you read the sidebar that explains the school's dress code, "undergarments" are actually a violation of the dress code.


aaaah, basic grammar.
posted by damn yankee at 10:27 AM on May 1, 2002

Administrators are moronic because there has been a power vacuum in the United States for some time now. The smart people are tending to be involved in science and technology whereas the people that were made fun of as kids are starting to fill the political void and administration. When this country was founded it was founded by the aristocrats and the elite thinkers. Sadly, this is not true anymore today. This is a very sickening story, and I hope they sue him regardless of whether he quits his job or not.
posted by banished at 10:34 AM on May 1, 2002

Sorry for being a link monkey here, but here's a link to the administrators of the School Board responsible for this high school.

Here's a link to the US Department of Education's information on sexual harrassment (a charge which I think might be used) and how to file a complaint with the federal government.

Pretty much, resignation of this lady isn't enough, I want to assure that she will never work, in any capacity, with children again.
posted by dejah420 at 10:55 AM on May 1, 2002

I've always remembered an incident in gradeschool when a particularly cruel teacher slapped my best friend across the face in class;he ran out of the room, out of the school and the two blocks home. About half an hour later his dad walked into the classroom, grabbed the 'teacher' and threw him through the window into the parking lot. That was his last day as a teacher. Perhaps extreem for this day and age, but it seems we have reached the far side of the spectrum where weakassed cowards take advantage of their position and have no fear of repercussions. If this was a party at a students house and her parents did this they would have been arrested for molestation or something. A little authority in the wrong hands, without fear of reprisal, is very dangerous.
posted by Mack Twain at 11:08 AM on May 1, 2002

Sounds like a scene from The Firemen's Ball to me.
posted by muckster at 11:13 AM on May 1, 2002

The smart people are tending to be involved in science and technology whereas the people that were made fun of as kids are starting to fill the political void and administration.

That's funny. In my experience, it was the smart people who got made fun of in school. And, are you really suggesting that it would be better if the country were being run by "aristocrats" (whatever that means today)? I will assume you were joking.
posted by Fenriss at 11:16 AM on May 1, 2002

Guess it's a generational thing, because I'm still IN school and the smarter girls are generally more attractive physically, and they also have more money because they come from rich families in which the father was smart and had $$$ which = marrying a hot woman = excellent genetics. Further education in this day and age is mandatory for a good job it seems. So what we are seeing is a geeky = cool trend. This is evident by statistics showing geeks get laid more, etc. The nerds now-a-days, my friend... are in politics. They are the suck-up to the teacher, snobby, little prick people that were made fun of... and they will have their revenge I'm sure. And I'm not suggesting that this country would be better if run by "aristocrats" but it would be nicer if it was run by people who had more respect for the principles upon which this nation was founded as opposed to their own political agendas.
posted by banished at 11:32 AM on May 1, 2002

Wow, I'd say that's a little more than a generational thing. There are still plenty of exceptions to your "rule," banished. Geeky may equal cool here on Metafilter, but I think the "geeks get laid more" trend may require a little more research.
posted by iscatter at 11:46 AM on May 1, 2002

There are exceptions to every rule aren't there? :) Here is your research by the way.
posted by banished at 12:32 PM on May 1, 2002

Well, I don't think there is any basis for the lifting of girl's skirts and dresses to check underwear when the outer clothes are deamed appropriate in the first place. Maybe if you're talking cheerleaders doing a pep rally, but...

As for the bra thing - wasn't that all solved in the 60's by bra burning?

Definate invasion of privacy, some instances probably qualify as assualt.

And good spot, damn yankee.. I was going to mention that underwear is expressly forbidden by the policy, as well.

As for the 'geeks get more sex' thing - the study is based on post-collegiate professionals, where it would make sense, since they are in a different environment.

I still think that the high school environment of geek='not cool' persists. Especially if they're playing D&D. And it's accurate, because geeks usually are not as outgoing, socially adept, and so forth.

A few years at college, a few years in the work place politicking around, and suddenly, they have things to talk about, topical items for conversation, wit, humor, no overwelmingly obvious desire to 'fit in' (and therefore being perceived as trying too hard). Plus, at the time of the survey, more cash and a higher profile than the sales guy he hired who was his class president.

As for the chicks - they've always been smart. It's just in vogue for them to flaunt it now.
posted by rich at 12:48 PM on May 1, 2002

An anecdote the exact opposite of Mack Twain's: one of my high school history teachers became so infuriated with an uncontrollable teenager that he whacked him over the head with a clipboard. Several hours later, attempting to resign himself to the possibility of losing his job, he got a phone call from the boy's mother: "Good job! Do it again!"
posted by thomas j wise at 12:49 PM on May 1, 2002

Here's a much better local link, including an explanation of why the vice principal may have been acting this way:

Parents have been told that part of the motivation for the inspections was an incident involving partial nudity at the dance last year. The dance, called "MORP" – "prom" spelled backward – is the only informal dance at the school and is considered the wildest of the year, students said.

Students typically dress in costume to fit a theme, which this year was "Blast From the Past." Last year, some students wore loincloths for the "Jungle Fever" theme. Things got out of hand, students and parents said, and one girl took off her underwear and revealed herself on the dance floor.
posted by beagle at 12:57 PM on May 1, 2002

I wish we had people like this running my school. I could have done with seeing some underwear. However, nearly all of the girls in my school wore regular trousers/pants, so it would have been impossible anyway. Dykes.
posted by wackybrit at 1:14 PM on May 1, 2002

where was this d00d when i was attending school dances?
posted by quonsar at 1:20 PM on May 1, 2002

*Sigh* Idiots like this are unfortunately the reason for Zero Thinking -- oops, I mean Zero Tolerance -- policies. This guy can't apply common sense, therefore he has to be told a good-or-bad rule. If no underwear, then bad, Tarzan know! Yes, he should never have been put in charge of children or put in any other position of authority. Yes, this is an over-reaction to events of the past (thank you beagle. Obviously that girl should have been disciplined on the spot, and this years fiasco might have been averted). I personally don't think things are going to change until "common sense" is demanded out of all authority figures.
posted by ilsa at 1:23 PM on May 1, 2002

oops the principal in question was a woman. in that case, keelhaul her. we might get to see her undies in the process.
posted by quonsar at 1:24 PM on May 1, 2002

As for the 'geeks get more sex' thing - the study is based on post-collegiate professionals, where it would make sense, since they are in a different environment.

I tend to agree, although it seems kind of obvious to me that post-collegiate professionals, that is.... adults, would "get more sex" than high school students

I still think that the high school environment of geek='not cool' persists. Especially if they're playing D&D. And it's accurate, because geeks usually are not as outgoing, socially adept, and so forth.

Here I think it is important that we make the distinction between two types of geeks. The computer geek, who is more inclined to be reading programming literature in class, programing their TI-85 calculator to solve the quadratic equation, and going home to spend hours learning how to code. The other type of geek does relatively modestly in school, not as well as the computer geek by far, is reading fantasy novels in school, plays D&D and strategy games, and probably likes to play computer games where they get to control their own worlds and can only socially interact with people online... The second type of geek is more inclined to become a politician, at least in my experience, and they also get shit on a lot. Although I agree, the teenage years are hard no matter who you are.

Ohh and regarding this issue and the local link posted by beagle, I would be very skeptical of this article. Where I'm from the newspaper and school are like this *crossing fingers*
posted by banished at 1:37 PM on May 1, 2002

About half an hour later his dad walked into the classroom, grabbed the 'teacher' and threw him through the window into the parking lot.

THere were two very similar instances (in fact, they happened in the same class room) around here recently, except that both cases involved parents storming into a classroom and physically attacking the teachers who were "unfairly" disciplining their kids. Those stories ended with the parents being charged with assault and battery, and I'd imagine your friend's dad should have been too.

The "fault" in the situation lies on what side you view the incident from. From the point of view of the kids, good ol' dad kicked the poo out of the evil teacher. From the point of view of the teachers, lunatic parent went postal on them for trying to do their job. I'd say both sides need to have a little more "common sense". There's no reason for school officials to do panty checks, and there's no reason for parents to turn into Rambos every time they think their little darlings aren't being treated properly.
posted by yhbc at 1:42 PM on May 1, 2002

I don't know why people are eager for a keelhauling. I prefer tar & feathers. Ah, the good ole days.

Still, I must object to the discrimination against flat-chested chicks. I rarely wore a bra in high school, as it was pointless. I'm not normally a litigious person, but had a principal had me strip in front of the school (I thought they were supposedly trying to =prevent= a strip-fest) to show what noone would be able to see if I had stayed =clothed=, I'd be first in line to sue. What dumbasses.
posted by meep at 2:22 PM on May 1, 2002

fuck that. if i was in that school. i would of demanded we check her underwear before anyone else's was checked.
posted by jcterminal at 2:48 PM on May 1, 2002

The silliest thing about this is the fact that if the teachers didn't lift the girls' skirts to check the girls' underwear, no one would be able to know what kind of underwear they were wearing anyway

Ha ha! Then why wear a thong?
posted by HTuttle at 2:57 PM on May 1, 2002

Ha ha! Then why wear a thong?

No panty lines, my friend. And comfort!
posted by mr_roboto at 3:00 PM on May 1, 2002

What the hell is supposed to be wrong with a thong, anyway? The vice-principal comes across as some kind of freaky fundamentalist. Are there a lot of communities this backwards in America?
posted by Catch at 3:13 PM on May 1, 2002

Ha ha! Then why wear a thong?

No panty lines, my friend. And comfort!

yes on the first reason, never-understood-where-that-was-coming-from on the second. i think it's a conspiracy.
posted by damn yankee at 3:48 PM on May 1, 2002

Twenty years of brainwashing proven useless. No one with the cojones in their thongs to "Just Say No."
posted by rushmc at 4:15 PM on May 1, 2002

If I were one of the high school students in question, I think I'd have told the woman "I'll show you mine if you show me yours." :o)
posted by alumshubby at 4:33 PM on May 1, 2002

I think I'd have told her, "Pardon me, I'm dialling my attorney (who happens to be my father) on my cellphone...."
posted by rushmc at 4:35 PM on May 1, 2002

I'm of the opinion that the only women who find thongs "comfortable" are those with some sort of strange disorder primarily symptomized by buttcrack numbness. However, the no-VPL (visible panty lines — duh!) variable is of importance.
posted by arielmeadow at 5:09 PM on May 1, 2002

Several of the women I've known who found thongs comfortable were also susceptible to being aroused by anal stimulation. This may be a factor as well.

I am trying to contribute something more useful than a chin-scratching rumination on the porn film possibilities of an angry schoolmarm lifting young naughty schoolgirls' skirts to check for thongs.

I have failed.
posted by anildash at 5:25 PM on May 1, 2002

Vice principal suspended.
posted by swell at 5:39 PM on May 1, 2002

The article linked by swell points out something I noticed in my final days of high school. Teachers are increasingly there to only enforce the rules. They are no longer able to be someone that the student can talk and relate to, as demonstrated by the failure of teachers to do anything about this incident, even though students asked them to.

"Teachers were our only line of defense, and when we tried to say something, nothing was taken seriously," said Barber, a senior.

That is really sad.
posted by untuckedshirts at 7:48 PM on May 1, 2002

Actually I have a different reason for liking thongs...

I have never found wedgie-proof underwear. never. And with normal underwear, there's a decent amount of fabric getting wedged. With a thong, it's much less fabric, much less uncomfortable, and at the end of the day, it's still in the exact same place I put it in the morning.

Much more comfortable.
posted by antimony at 8:04 PM on May 1, 2002

No panty lines, my friend. And comfort!

So why wear a thong at all? Why not just skip underwear? It's not like a thong will catch any poop falling out of your ass or soak up those piss stains.. so you might as well go bare.
posted by wackybrit at 9:10 PM on May 1, 2002

underwear. the last step in potty training.

i've been out of potty training for over a decade now, thanks.
posted by jcterminal at 10:48 PM on May 1, 2002

Incidentally, correspondence with one of the school board members reveals that they are acting responsibly and taking it all very seriously, so don't harrass them if you can help it. The skirt-lifter clearly deserves something nasty, but it would be lame to waste the board's time yelling at them while they're trying to take care of the problem.
posted by blissbat at 11:07 PM on May 1, 2002

I have to wonder why the onsite officer didn't step in. Seems like a clear case of sexual harassment/sexual contact with a minor kinda thing.
posted by Nauip at 4:44 PM on May 2, 2002