School boots 3 girls in 'Underpants'

[proud2BlibKansan]

LONG BEACH, N.Y. --Captain Underpants has battled talking toilets and Professor Poopypants, but he was no match for a high school principal who banned students from dressing up as the children's book character.

Long Beach High School Principal Nicholas Restivo took the action Wednesday after three 17-year-old girls wore beige leotards and nude stockings under white briefs and red capes on the school's Superhero Day.

"Yes, I know they weren't naked," Restivo said. "But the appearance was that they were naked."

Chelsea Horowitz, one of the dressed-up girls, had a problem with that logic.

more . . .
http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/10/26/school_boots_3_girls_in_underpants/?p1=email_to_a_friend

[izzybeans]

1. Ha. The first thing I bought when I found out my wife was pregnant

was the Captain Underpants collection.

Tra La La La! Captain Underrrrrpaannnttts!

It was actually on a list of books to burn by one of the right wing umbrella groups.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. They are the funniest books

and kids just love them.

[annabanana]

2. lol

I saw these kids... It was a MAJOR overreaction by the principal. He just wasn't expecting it (and wasn't familiar with the character. . ) He reacted from the gut and then couldn't let himself back away from his decision. He is not usually this reactionary, really.

[AIJ Alom]

4. Agreed I don't see anything wrong with their costumes. Again it is not

the female body that is the problem. It is the perverted mind of others.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. LOL Thanks for the picture!

That is hilarious.

[SmokingJacket]

3. Silly! Why have a costume day if you're going to be a freak about it?

By the way, those are seriously excellent books. I bought them for my son when he was a "reluctant reader." He devoured them, got really into cartooning and graphic novels, and is now a voracious reader of all kinds of books.

I read a few out loud to my younger son, and they're quite clever and funny -- even I enjoyed them, and I'm very picky about kids' books.

[annabanana]

5. There's a poll on this page, if you'd like to support

the girls in this matter:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lidres1026,0,928031.story?vote26089056=1

[Captain Hilts]

8. Not really appropriate for school. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. Why not?

[annabanana]

10. It was "Senior Week"

Monday was crossdressing day. Today they are pirates...

[LWolf]

11. An overreaction.

Everything was properly covered; looking at those pictures, less skin was showing than on a normal school day.

"Spirit days" are commonplace and supposed to be fun. We did have to lay down some additional guidelines for "pajama day." It's cute in elementary school, but in our K-8 the 6th-8th graders had to have appropriate "pajamas" defined for them, lol.

Then, last year, the district updated the dress code because they were wearing flannel pajama bottoms to school every day. Now the dress code specifies "no pajamas except on special event days" or something to that effect. :P

[NaturalHigh]

12. I don't know if they should have been sent home...

but I definitely wouldn't let my daughter go to school dressed like that.

[darmok167]

14. May I ask you why?

I'm not attacking your position because it is your decision to make as a parent. I'm just curious as to your reasoning behind it.

[NaturalHigh]

16. I realize that these girls...

were probably just trying to come up with some creative costumes, but honestly, don't you think there were probably some demeaning, sexual comments toward them? Little girls are too often presented in an overly-sexual manner in our society without running around in underwear.

What other parents allow their kids to wear is up to them, but I wouldn't let my daughter go to school in something like that.

On a side note, I had never heard of "Captain Underpants" before I read this thread.

[darmok167]

17. Thank you for your response.

Demeaning sexual comments towards them? I don't know. Possibly. However, it's hard to say since this was super hero costume day. I would think someone dressed as Wonder Woman, SuperGirl, Zena or the Genie from I dream of Genie would have gotten more comments because of the skimpy attire. I just don't see these costumes as sexual in nature. They were covered from head to toe and had men's underwear on the outside of the costume. That doesn't seem that sexy to me.

That being said, I do understand where you're coming from especially as a parent. I had never heard of Captain Underpants before either.

[uppityperson]

13. I wonder if the school dress code prohibits underwear showing?

I like the costumes and think they are no more distracting than other costumes

[atommom]

15. Oh, that's ridiculous. Wonder Woman costumes would have been

a lot more provocative. These are just funny! I think the principal needs to sit down with a Captain Underpants book and school hisself.

[Holly_Hobby]

18. How times have changed

When I was in kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade, in 1961-63, all the little girls wore very short frilly dresses with can-can's (frilly slips), short enough to see our ruffled panties. And it wasn't Halloween, it was daily. And considered appropriate dress for little girls in school. It wasn't until 3rd grade when we were dressed without the frills, and dresses long enough to cover our butts. Yes, we wore dresses to school until I was a freshman in H.S. in 1970 when we were finally "allowed" to wear pants. Dress code for girls until 1970 was dresses only.