I must say that I am less than pleased with the staff at Reid Park elementary. Today I met with Principal Sturge to discuss a matter concerning my youngest daughter. I simply asked if there was a policy about students wearing make-up and was met with confrontation and ridicule. On March 6th my seven yearold asked if she could wear some eyeshadow to school. Like most young girls who look up to their mothers, she wants to be just like me including dressing the same. After she put on her uniform I put the eye shadow on her and her sister and drove them to school. When my daughters got home, My youngest complianed about a teacher in the library by the name Ms. White who forced her to remove her eye make and told her it was inappropriate. She was quite upset and didnt fully understand what the teacher was saying. Was she calling her mother inappropriate?
I talked to her about the issue and called the school to make sure there was no written policy or school dress code that we broke. The office staff did their best to assist but the teachers and administartive staff were in a meeting. I was told i would get a call back but didnt. This morning I went into the office still seeking clarity. Again the office staff was eager to assist. I explained to one receptionist that if there was no policy about her wearing make-up that she would continue to wear it every day. The receptionist took that message to the Principal and called me back so I could meet with her. As soon as I sat in her office she began her attack. I was completely caught off gaurd by how confrontational she was and I hadnt even spoken yet. She described how she "didnt care" about the issue and how she has "never heard of someone putting make up on a 6 or 7 year old" and that she felt "the whole thing was silly" and she didnt "have time to fight about makeup." Mrs.Sturge also told me that she "took my message as a threat" and she couldnt believe that i would allow my daughter to wear make up everyday because of this.
Appalled I asked if I had been threatening in any manner and though she agreed I had not she still was condenscending and absolutely belittled me as a parent. I told her I simply didnt want one adults opinion on a matter to dictate something my children or other children and parents could misinterperate as a written rule. Her response was to invite me to join in on the schoolboard meetings and perhaps they could present a No Make-Up policy. I left out of her office silently trying not to let my emotions get the best of me. I have never been spoken to in such a matter by someone I am supposed to trust with my children. If the Principal of a school would approach a smiling, non-combative adult in such a manner how would a mere child be able to handle such harshness. This is the first and last year that my children will attend Reid Park. They say they have a zero tolerance for bullying but apparently the bullying here comes from the staff.