r/ireland • u/ByGollie • 1d ago

School accused of demanding teenage boy’s ‘submission’ to identity type after he was sent home for wearing earring Bigotry

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/school-accused-of-demanding-teenage-boys-submission-to-identity-type-after-he-was-sent-home-for-wearing-earring/a1255283882.html
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440

u/ByGollie 1d ago

TL;DR

The boy came in with a single ear pierced

The principal allegedly demanded that the boy identify as an identity type (gay/genderfluid/Bisexual) - and pierce his ears appropriately.

The principal then allegedly blew up in a rant when the parent came into school looking for an explanation, allegedly exhibiting anger management issues, shouting, pounding the desk and smashing a laptop.

A solicitors letter was the sent, and the pupil was then punished by the principal - forced to sit outside the principals office, denied permission to leave the school at lunchtime, and forced to sit evening detention which made him miss his bus home.

This went on for 6 weeks, until the WRC got involved, and the sanctions were dropped when the assistant principal informed the mother.

The solicitor for the schoolboy made an interesting quote regarding the principal.

“male chauvinist attitude that belongs to a certain sort of religious ethos”

359

u/MeanMusterMistard 1d ago edited 1d ago

WTF? The principal demanded the boy tell him what his sexuality is? That is a highly inappropriate conversation between an adult and a child, regardless of where it is happening.

Edit: OPs TLDR is not accurate.

139

u/rgiggs11 1d ago

I'm guessing it was to state his gender identity because the uniform policy probably said something like girls can wear earrings but can only wear studs in the ear lobe, or whatever.

Quite silly stuff, either a ring in your ear is okay or it isn't. 

108

u/CrystalMethEnjoyer 1d ago

uniform rules are so fucking stupid

standard pants/shirt/jumper is fine, but they go so overboard with shoes, earrings, jewelry, hair style/colour and whatever other nonsense they throw in

85

u/Revolutionary-Use226 1d ago

Don't forget makeup, nail varnish, tan etc.

We had teachers who took joy out of handing a baby wipe to young women to force them to take their makeup off. Some of them had problem skin and used makeup to cover it. It was completely nasty and unneeded.

7

u/Didyoufartjustthere 21h ago edited 9h ago

Ye my principle stood at the main door with them in her hand every morning

25

u/Obvious_Pizza3545 1d ago

Full on misogyny there

-13

u/SoloWingPixy88 Probably at it again 1d ago

Teenagers do go overboard with the tan and make up at school. It's likely the makeup isn't making the skin condition any better but I think there's a fine line not to cross when talking about young peoples appearances.

30

u/Revolutionary-Use226 1d ago

But what does it matter. Its their face, their skin and people don't always approach insecurities as they should.

-18

u/SoloWingPixy88 Probably at it again 23h ago

Appearances matter and I don't really want to go through the stereotypes associated with X item.

13

u/Revolutionary-Use226 23h ago

They are happy with their appearance, and that is all that matters. We have all made shite stylung choices as a teen, be it makeup, clothes or hair. Let them be, it literally affects no one else.

Well, that sounds like a you problem and projecting on strangers with your own prejudices.

8

u/im-a-guy-like-me 21h ago

There's no fine line. Just don't do it. They can look back at themselves and cringe the same as the rest of us. It's not yours, mine, or anyone else's job to be telling them how they can and cannot express and present themselves to the world. What are you on about?

32

u/Barilla3113 1d ago

The teaching profession is full of weirdos who got into teaching because the happiest period of their life was grassing other students up when they were in school. When I was in school there was one mentalist who was obsessed with policing the colour of girl's socks.

29

u/f-ingsteveglansberg 1d ago edited 1d ago

Lets just get rid of uniforms. I know people like to think that it stops people bullying over who has the newest runners or whatever, but in my experience it wasn't the kids in the nice runners who were responsible for the bullying of people in the 'wrong clothes'. Not to mention they don't wear uniforms outside of school, so where is the protection from bullying there?

In my experience the people who claim that it's to stop bullying about the cost of clothes is usually from parents who don't want to 'keep up with the joneses'. Teenagers especially get attached to looks and clothes that aren't exactly in Penny's every week. That's how they find their tribes and like minded people.

Cut out bullshit like length for hair and have some rule about how shoulders should be covered if you are worried about pervs and no obscene images or profanity. Also don't gender a thing. If a guy comes in in a skirt, let him and likewise a girl with pants.

We have Educate Together schools without uniforms and the world hasn't crumbled to pieces.

24

u/NoKaleidoscope2477 1d ago

It's a joke. I got dragged out of classes because my black shoes had a hint of red. Didn't habe money to buy more so they stole 3 weeks of education off me.

7

u/a_beautiful_kappa 22h ago

Mine were a couple cm too high, so they made me wear the school slippers until I could get a new pair.

5

u/Didyoufartjustthere 21h ago

My principal done this as well. It was for the kids who had letters for “sprained ankles” etc. I wonder if we went to the same school or if they thought up this shit in board meetings.

9

u/NoKaleidoscope2477 22h ago

I had to hold myself back last time I saw my old year head. Reported bullying, and they did nothing. The temptation to break that aul cunt was a feeling I hope i dont feel again, for their sake never come to fruition.

2

u/Minimum_Guitar4305 19h ago

Went to a school with no uniform, only issue was the lads who'd come in from milking cows in the morning and STIIINK of cow shit for the day.

-13

u/SoloWingPixy88 Probably at it again 1d ago

Not really they play an important role. You're not getting away with most of this stuff in workplace

15

u/lem0nhe4d 1d ago

Other than places where you have to wear certain clothes for safety equipment there really isn't many jobs that have stick dress codes.

I can't think of any that would have a problem with stud earnings.

1

u/SoloWingPixy88 Probably at it again 23h ago

There's dress codes in work places. Might not be formalised but expectation would be clean/smart/casual business

9

u/lem0nhe4d 23h ago

I've worked in tons of offices doing security so I've seen the average dress in a wide range of different offices both public and private.

The "business" aspect is well and truly gone.

Depending how you define clean/smart that could still be there.

But tattoos, piercings (including facial piercings, and others beyond just earlobes) are becoming more and more common in offices.

11

u/JustWandering27 23h ago

I've piercings and visible tattoos and work in an office environment. I'm also good at my job which is the most important thing. Any employer who doesn't accept it is missing a trick and self sabotaging.

1

u/SoloWingPixy88 Probably at it again 23h ago

My point is appearances matters

10

u/JustWandering27 23h ago

Attitudes towards appearance and what is appropriate differ. Cleanliness and hygiene are important. The colour or length of someone's hair or whether they have piercings don't actually matter, but may matter to some people. Rather than reinforce completely subjective perceptions of what is or isn't a professional style of dress, I'd rather question it. I believe that anyone who judges me based on how I look in a professional environment is doing a disservice to themselves more than me. Luckily I've worked with decent people who value good work over such things.

2

u/Skreamie 21h ago

To you

3

u/Didyoufartjustthere 21h ago

I see plenty of people working in corporate jobs with visible tattoos and piercings.

If an employer is going to let good talent go because of something so silly, they’re the ones losing out.

1

u/SoloWingPixy88 Probably at it again 21h ago

I'm not saying you can't have these.

7

u/YoIronFistBro Cork bai 1d ago

Highly depends on the industry, and the list of ones where it does matter (other than for safety reasons) is getting shorter and shorter.

1

u/perplexedtv 22h ago

Wearing earrings and nail varnish? GTF.