A 13-year-old boy in Kansas says he was suspended from school for refusing to remove his Vera Bradley bag.
Skylar Davis has been attending school for over two months while wearing his colorful, flowered, Vera Bradley shoulder bag. His mother is now trying to figure out why, on Wednesday, he was suspended from school and told he cannot return until he stops wearing the purse.
She can’t find anything in the school handbook about bags or purses. He says, “It expresses myself and I think everyone else can wear it, so I wear it as well.” She supports her son and his choices. He says he won’t stop wearing the purse.
See the full story here: Boy, 13, suspended for carrying Vera Bradley purse NOTE: This has been updated since original posting. Includes comments from county school superintendent.
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http://www.change.org/petitions/anderson-county-jr-sr-high-administrators-repeal-skylar-davis-suspension-and-allow-him-to-continue-carrying-his-vera-bradley-designer-handbag
Please sign the Change.org petition to reverse the school’s decision and allow Skylar Davis to return to school, with his purse!
Suspension definitely seems over the top. However, according to the school superintendent, he was asked to remove the bag because it is school policy that no one is allowed to have any bag of any kind in class. It wasn’t in the video, but from the article that is linked above: “Anderson County School District Superintendent Don Blome said he could not discuss the specific case because of privacy concerns. However, he said all students, whether female or male, are prevented from having bags, purses, satchels and backpacks in the core classrooms like English and math. The bags must be… Read more »
Matthew, good point. Before posting this, I went to the District and school websites to look for a copy of the student handbook and was unable to find one, at least in what was publicly available. I would ask this: If this is a rule, written or otherwise, then why is he just now being disciplined for it?
Also, I am going to add that the article has been updated with additional information. Thanks for the heads up.
Looks like one of the bags the hippies used in the old days. Nonetheless, don’t see any articles being written about ….. Eight-year-old boy threatened with expulsion from school for drawing pictures of Halloween costumes that included guns or knives A boy of five has been kicked out of school in Birmingham – after being branded the ‘naughtiest’ pupil his head teacher had ever met. A 7th grade boy and two of his friends have now been expelled for playing with airsoft guns in his yard 10 year old boy who got into big trouble for taking a squirt gun… Read more »
Perfectly harmless student expression stomped by some petty autocrat, probably with self-esteem issues. This has been going on forever in the schools and it never seems to get any better. They put people who can’t handle the least little bit of authority in charge of kids, and then wonder why so many kids have problems with authority.
When a girl carries a “men’s” bag, it is considered unisex. Woman in a fedora, men’s dress shirt and a tie? Often seen as a sexy way to “borrow” your boyfriend’s wardrobe. The same borrowing doesn’t apply to men and boys. Wearing anything that even hints at the femenine is still reviled by many when worn by the male of the species. This school is headed into some expensive litigation because a local school administrator thought he/she had the right and responsibility to take action against a child for failure to conform. Forcing children to conform to local customs is… Read more »
cool bag, love the style. the pattern is modest and not excessive.
strange school.
good thing he didnt wear velvet waistcoat, blue-lensed circular-rimmed glasses, and flairs then lol
I feel that this family has a strong case against the school. If there is not a rule against expressive bags or purses, then they have no case. Rules are rules, and he is not breaking any of them with this bag.