A substitute teacher in a humanities class at Wy’east Middle School was teased and laughed at for wearing “woman’s clothing” to class, as reported in an Oct. 29 Columbian story, “Teacher’s clothes gender-bending.” The teacher was wearing a pair of capri pants, which does not violate any district guidelines.
I can’t say what was going through these kids’ heads but they had no right to say anything about what the teacher was wearing. In the U.S., capri pants are considered female clothing, but in most other countries around the world, capri pants are unisex and typically worn by males.
“Think before you speak.” I grew up listening to my parents say this to me and both my younger siblings. People should really think before opening their mouths, and should be positive that they know what they are talking about and that their facts are straight. People are capable of being very judgmental and hurtful; school-age kids and teens can be even worse.
In our country, we grow up knowing that we have the freedom of speech, but does that give us the right to use our words to harm those around us? Kids of all ages need to know that bullying and harassment are not acceptable for any reason.
