Parents demanded the resignation of an official at a suburban San Diego high school on Tuesday after reports that she lifted girls' skirts in front of male students and faculty members, checking for inappropriate underwear before a dance on Friday.
Students at Rancho Bernardo High School said the vice principal, Rita Wilson, was screening girls to assure they were not wearing thong underwear. There were also reports that girls were made to undress partly if Wilson or other faculty suspected that they were not wearing bras.
"Some of these girls are just devastated," said Kim Teal, the parent of a 15-year-old sophomore at the school.
Teal said one parent called her to report that a teacher had pulled a girl's top to see if she was wearing a bra.
Wilson and the principal, Paul Gentle, did not return phone calls.
Teal said that when she confronted Wilson about the incident, she played down the situation, saying she had wanted to ensure that bottoms were adequately covered at the dance, attended by nearly 700 students.
The theme for the party was "Blast from the Past," and boys wearing toga outfits were also asked about their underwear or checked for it. Tube tops and halter tops are banned at the school.
Teal said her daughter told her of the screening, which she said occurred in front of boys, teachers and police officers at the door. Her daughter was allowed to enter the dance after declaring that she was not wearing a thong, her mother said. "After awhile the girls finally got the idea that they shouldn't say thong when they were asked, even though that's all they wear now," Teal said. "They won't be caught dead in regular underwear."
Parents met with the principal on Tuesday, but no action was taken, they said. The parents have given the principal until Friday to take action on their request for Wilson's resignation and said they intended to file a complaint with the American Civil Liberties Union.
"She was at school today and that infuriated us all," Teal said. "We just believe she has very much over-stepped her boundaries and violated too many of the students' civil rights."
You have got to be f-n kidding me? Girls should be forced to wear bras?