DORI MONSON

You Be The Jury: Should boys be able to wear makeup in school?

Jun 13, 2013, 2:13 PM | Updated: 6:11 pm

The parents of a 14-year-old are upset after their son’s school wouldn’t allow him to wear makeup. Representatives of Meadowlawn Middle School in St Petersburg, Florida say Chris Martin violated the dress code by wearing eyeliner, eye shadow, and lipstick on the last day of school.

Martin’s parents, Jamie Himes and Katelynn Martin, say her son has been depressed and doesn’t feel comfortable in his own skin.

The school dress code doesn’t address makeup in its policies, or whether or not boys can wear makeup. But the school’s principal said it was a distraction, and the District Superintendent is backing him up.

Martin’s two moms think the school shouldn’t dictate gender roles. They started an online petition to get the school to teach LGBT history, host gay-straight alliance clubs, and allow boys to wear makeup just like girls.

Dori is siding with the principal, saying schools should be allowed to set different dress codes for boys and girls. He also agrees that a boy wearing makeup would be a distraction.

“What matters is your opinion on what the role of the schools is,” said Dori. “We have gotten so consumed to catering to niche groups that just want to push an agenda. And I just think saying boys are boys and girls are girls – it’s worked pretty well for the millennia.”

His listeners were split: some thought the boy should be allowed to wear makeup because a public school should protect the boy’s freedom of expression.

Cathy called in, arguing that a boy wearing makeup is no more distracting than girls wearing makeup and showing cleavage, or boys wearing baggy pants hanging off their butts.

“Get over it,” she said.

But Shane noted the two moms started their complaint by saying their son felt depressed and never felt comfortable in his own skin.

“They don’t want to look at that. They don’t want to consider that it’s because he doesn’t have a dad, that maybe there’s something wrong and there’s a breakdown in the family unit,” said Shane.

What you’re saying on Facebook:

Sam Byrd Reason: #143 why kids need a mom and dad in the home

Nathan Schneider: The purpose of a school is to provide an education. The job of the student is to receive the education through lecture, study, and testing. This is not the place to express yourself. If you want to put makeup all over your face and look like a clown, you are free to do that on your own time.

Chris D Wilkening: There should either be a standard dress code for all students, or no dress code at all. There’s no reason it should be separated by gender.

Jason Izzard: I agree with what you are saying on the larger scale but it’s a question of liberty and self expression in this matter , couldn’t agree more though on thr subject of the attack on masculinity , this story is just a bad example in trying to show the intolerance for what is natural male tendencies or masculinity , tolerance and liberty is universal but often those demanding tolerance are the least tolerant of all

Amy West: Yes we need different rules for boys and girls.

Lorie Martin: Dang it Dori!! Not ALL lesbians hate men. We just don’t connect with them emotionally, we just don’t! Yes I’m a lesbian, but you won’t see me in a wife beater on the front lines of the Gay Pride Parade.

If the kid is struggling with identity issues, then leave him alone. How many kids do we lose to suicide due self esteem issues, bullying, and yes struggling with being gay or different? Too many!!!

Altho I am a lesbian, I do not support the mothers agenda of trying to push GBLT education and the like. We don’t have a special classes why Johnny doesn’t celebrate Christmas or why Ikbahl wears a turbin. Just teach tolerance and ACCEPTANCE.

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You Be The Jury: Should boys be able to wear makeup in school?