Wonthaggi Secondary College students kicked off campus after uniform swap
Schoolboys celebrating the end of Year 12 were booted from their Wonthaggi school over a seemingly innocent day of festivities, with graduates accusing their principal of discrimination.
Bass Coast News
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Students at Wonthaggi Secondary College have been left outraged after a day of fun turned sour.
Year 12 students planned a ‘gender swap’ day to celebrate the end of their final year of school.
The girls wore the boys school uniform and the boys wore the girls school uniform.
But The Bass Coast News has been told the male students were asked to either change or leave the schools grounds because wearing a dress was deemed “socially unacceptable” by their principal.
“They kicked all the guys out for wearing dresses and skirts,” a male student said.
“It’s 2020, people need to realise that this is the norm now,” a female student said.
“Why are you discriminating against guys wearing dresses when girls are allowed to wear boys clothes?”
McBride Campus Principal Margaret O’Donnell said the school had concerns about celebrating the graduating students early.
“Celebration day for Year 12 is next week and at the moment the priority for the school is to prepare Years 10, 11 and 12 students for exams,” Ms O’Donnell said.
“We have concerns celebrating early might impact on the exam preparation”.
Ms O’Donnell denies saying the boys wearing dresses was “socially unacceptable”.
“Wonthaggi Secondary College continues to support gender diversity and would work with students to create planned events around promoting tolerance,” she said.
Year 12 students said it’s “pretty unfortunate” that their day of fun was ruined after their school year has been disrupted due to COVID-19.
“We have missed out on most things this year and this was our way to feel like a year level again,” a student said.
“It’s pretty unfortunate that we don’t even get this last thing with everything that has happened this year”.
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