School cancels spirit day after complaints about ‘gender opposite’ theme
January 21, 2011
Kristin Rushowy
EDUCATION REPORTER
A York Region school that scrapped an “opposite gender” spirit day has gotten more complaints about the cancellation than the theme day itself.
“I was very disappointed that the day was cancelled because I felt it was a fun spirit day, meant in the spirit of all the other days and it in no way should be construed as anything more than that,” said Martha Richardson, a mother whose two children attend King City Public School.
Richardson was upset that the objections of a few could be enough to change school policy. And, as a family doctor, she was offended by complaints that such a day — where boys were to wear girls’ clothing, and girls wear boys’ — would cause gender identity issues or somehow promoted homosexuality.
“People’s sexuality is not determined by whether they dress up in a dress or not,” added Richardson, who was among the many who called the York Region District School Board in protest on Friday.
Grade 8 student Ripley Antonacci, prime minister of the student council, said, “We just wanted to have a fun day, and we came up with the idea. A lot of people do it for Halloween, and we just thought it would be a cool idea.
“We didn’t mean to offend anyone,” added the 14-year-old. “I was a little confused because I didn’t know why people would say those things.”
The student council has another spirit day in the works a couple of weeks from now, likely a “twin day.”
Earlier this week, Principal Karen Goan sent a letter to parents saying she’d heard “serious concerns reflecting a wide variety of personal, religious and family values” over the spirit day.
“We have no intention or desire to offend community sensitivities and for this reason, we have decided to cancel the activity.”
Originally proposed by the student council, “the idea was that boys and girls would wear items of clothing likely to be worn by the opposite gender,” her letter said.
“In addition to creating a fun atmosphere at school, we discussed how the experience might help boys and girls become a little more sensitive to gender differences and similarities.”
Ripley’s mom, Nancy Antonacci, said what’s been lost in the controversy is all the positive things going on at the school.
“They sent 20 boxes to Afghanistan with decorations and food and everything else for the soldiers” during the holidays, she said.
“It’s a really good school and I’m just appalled by this.”