A Texas mother who went to her daughter’s high school to register her for classes says she wasn’t allowed on the property because she was wearing a headscarf and a Marilyn Monroe t-shirt dress — in apparent violation of the school’s dress code.
via People:
Joselyn Lewis told Houston NBC affiliate KPRC that she thought an administrator at Madison High School mistook her for a student, so she explained who she was.
“She went on to say that she still couldn’t let me on the premises because I was not in dress code and I still didn’t understand what that meant,” Lewis told the news outlet. “She said that my headscarf was out of dress code and my dress was too short.”
Madison High School and the Houston Independent School District did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Lewis explained to KPRC that she was in the middle of getting her hair done, so she decided to keep it up. Her dress also passed the finger-length test and wasn’t shorter than her finger, she added.
Lewis decided on Monday morning to enroll her 15-year-old daughter at Madison High School because she had been previously bullied at Lamar High School. Lamar did not immediately return PEOPLE’s request for comment.
“When I went to Lamar, I had no problems, but when I got to Madison High School, they refused me access to the premises because of what I had on,” she told KPRC. “I mean, I didn’t understand why my headscarf and my dress would conflict with me enrolling someone in school.”
When she asked to see if there was any documentation of the parent dress code, the school wouldn’t show her anything, the mom says. And when she refused to leave, the school called the police department.
“They called them on me and I guess he was coming to tell me to leave, but I was already on the phone with the school board,” she said.
Speaking with KPRC, Lewis remained firm on her stance that “I can wear what I want to wear.”
She added: “I don’t have to get all dolled up to enroll her to school. My child’s education, anyone’s child’s education, should be more important than what someone has on. That shouldn’t matter.”
Check out the video below. Do you think the mother’s attire should’ve been a problem?
