CLYDE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) — Thousands of people have signed a petition in support of a male Texas high school student who was given in-school suspension for wearing nail polish.
Clyde High School Senior Trevor Wilkinson started a petition to ‘Allow Males to Wear Nail Polish‘ after he was given ISS for his nails Thursday. He was also told he is not allowed to return to class until he takes the nail polish off.
In the petition, which has gotten over 11,000 signatures on change.org, Wilkinson said, “it’s a complete double standard because girls are allowed to paint and get their nails done.”
Wilkinson calls his punishment “unjust and not okay” and hopes he will be able to change the school district’s policy.
Clyde Consolidated Independent School District addressed Wilkinson’s concerns in the following statement, saying the dress code is only reviewed on an annual basis:
The District conducts a diligent and thoughtful review of the dress code on an annual basis. That review process results in the development of a final dress code that is consistently implemented and enforced during the next school year. Parents and students are provided a copy of the dress code prior to the start of each new school year. Questions or concerns with the dress code are reviewed individually, and the District cannot share any information regarding a specific student. The District appreciates the feedback and input on this issue received from members of the community, and will take this into consideration when it conducts its annual review later this school year.
Wilkinson’s quest for change has garnered support from his peers and community members as well as organizations like the Abilene Pride Alliance, who wrote a letter on Wilkinson’s behalf.
“We are asking for this discriminatory policy to immediately be addressed at your next school board meeting and that the child in question be released from suspension with an official apology from the School District,” Abilene Pride Alliance Chair Sam Hatton wrote. “We believe that no matter your orientation, race, or gender, we are all one Big Country family “We want to move forward in cooperation in that fashion.”