It's a bling thing
Family upset that KISD won't enroll 10-year-old with an earring
By LESTER MURRAY news2@kilgorenewsherald.com

Sherrie McGinty, with her son Little Berry stand in front of the KISD Administration Building in protest of Little Berry not being allowed in school because he wears an earring. McGinty will be taking the issue to the KISD board of trustees.

As time goes by, people change, ideas change and definitely the look of things change. The question for Kilgore school board is, should district policy change?

Sherrie McGinty, a one-time resident of Kilgore just moved back to Kilgore from Washington State with her ten year old son, Little Berry McGinty.

"When I tried to enroll him at Kilgore Intermediate School I was told Little Berry had to remove his earrings to go to school at KISD," said Sherrie. "I told them I wanted him to wear them and he would not be removing them and I was told Little Berry could not be enrolled."

Little Berry has worn two earrings in his left ear for more than a year.

The school district does not have a right to deny my son an education just because he has an earring, she said. "All of the girls have earrings. Why are they allowed in school? There is no difference."

Sherrie, carrying a protest sign and marching back and forth in front of the district office, said she spoke with the district's superintendent who told her he is not empowered to change the dress code policy and as long as that was the policy of the school district Little Berry would have to comply to go to school at KISD.

Jerry Roberts, superintendent, said he told Sherrie that it was up to the school board to change the school dress code.

"I couldn't do it if I wanted to," said Roberts. "If the board says let's make students wear earrings, then that will be our policy."

Roberts said the proper procedure for her is to submit in writing that she wishes to address the school board about this issue and he will put her on the board agenda as an action item.

"This has to be done ten days prior to the board meeting," said Roberts. "Once she has addressed the board, the members can take action at that time, changing the policy or not, or defer it to another time."

Roberts said even if the board approves the change, it must then be sent to the Texas Association of School Boards for the policy to be re-written, then sent back to the board for final approval.

"This could take as much as two to three months," said Roberts. "Once the board approves the new draft, the policy goes into effect the very next day."

Sherrie said it is "a shame when young men and women are dying overseas for our freedom and back home a child is being denied an education because of an earring. I feel it is up to the parents to decide if a child can wear an earring, as with girls, not up to a school district," said Sherrie.

On Thursday afternoon Sherrie was at the KISD administration building attempting to get the paperwork she needed to submit her request for a change in school dress code policy.

Sherrie said her only recourse until this issue could be decided will be to home school Little Berry so the truant officers will not be looking for her.

"I hope to have much more support at the school board meeting as I have already been approached by community members supporting me in this issue," said Sherrie.

Janet Marley, KISD school board member, said she feels the school administrators, principals and teachers should offer feedback to the board as to why it would be an issue for a boy to wear an earring.

"As a board member I don't know the problems for each campus and would like to hear why this dress code is in effect or is it just that it has been on the books for a long time," said Marley. "I applaud this mother for standing up for her son and what she feels is right. The question is: What is right for the entire school district and should this policy be changed?"

Marley said even though she knows the mother feels strongly about her rights, she would hope Sherrie would still go ahead and enroll her son in school by complying with the rules while the issue is taken under consideration.

Roberts said Sherrie picked up the paperwork required to get her on the school board agenda. "If Sherrie submits the letter of request before Feb. 14, she will be on the agenda for the Feb. 25 school board meeting, which will be held on Monday this month because of Region VII training," said Roberts.

Roberts said the KISD student handbook, rule number 5 says there are no body peircings allowed on any student except in a girls ear.

Jody Clements, who will become superintendnet on June 1, said as with any policy it should be reviewed periodically to see if it is still effective and, if change is needed, then the school district will make those changes.

The district's policy regarding earrings on boys has been in effect for more than 14 years.