Mother Claims Her Daughter Was Suspended for Wearing Wrong Shade of Green
Camden County, NJ-(WTXF)-It's not easy being green. In fact, it could even get you suspended from elementary school, especially if you're wearing the wrong shade.
She says school officials told her not to bring her daughter back to class and as she told FOX 29's Brad Sattin it had everything to do with the color of her shirt.
8-year-old Kylie and her twin sister Karlie don't look like troublemakers, but Kylie was suspended from school. The reason, according to her mother: a violation of the dress code Monday. Their mother, Crystal, says she got a call from the vice principal at Winslow Township School 4.
"He wanted me to know that she can't wear that shirt and if she does wear that shirt again, she would be suspended," she told FOX 29.
The district's policy states that shirts or blouses be white, dark green or navy blue with collars only. Kelly green is a violation. Crystal admits her conversation with the assistant principal and then the principal did get a bit heated.
"My child messed up, I messed it up for my child, and she be suspended next time for it, but to suspend a child over the shade of a shirt. I found it a little ridiculous," she explained.
The girls missed the bus Tuesday morning, and when they arrived at school a few minutes late-- properly dressed-- they were met by the principal.
"She told me don't bother to sign her in and told Kylie that she's not in school today," the mother explained.
"I got suspended for wearing the different color they wanted me to wear," said Kylie. "The principal told me that I don't have to stay here and I could leave."
The mother decided to take both girls home.
Another woman says her 2nd grandson was suspended Tuesday for wearing the wrong shade of blue. According to the woman, it's the same shirt he regularly wore last year.
One little boy's mom defends the school, saying the uniform dress code was made crystal clear in orientation from day one.
"I mean, if you start letting certain things slide, then you have to let a lot of things slide, and then everyone is pretty much wearing what they want to wear," she said.
FOX 29 reached out to both the principal and the district superintendent.. A spokesperson would only tell FOX 29 that our information about Kylie's one day suspension is incorrect, but would not go into detail. There's no school tomorrow for Yom Kippur, but the kids will be back to school on Thursday.