KISD board faces earring issue on Monday night
By LESTER MURRAY news2@kilgorenewsherald.com

On Monday, the Kilgore Independent School District's board of trustee meeting will have a different ring - or earring - to it.

Sherrie McGinty, mother of 10-year-old Little Berry McGinty will address the school board about its dress code.

Little Berry has been denied registration at KISD because he wears earrings, a violation of the district's dress code.

Sherrie said the school district does not have the right to deny her son an education based on whether he does or does not wear an earring, which she insists he be allowed to wear.

She will address the board Monday night. With the subject listed as an action item, the board may take action on the issue, either voting to change the dress code, keep it the same or table the issue to a later date.

McGinty and her son recently moved back to Kilgore from Washington State.

When She tried to enroll Little Berry at Kilgore Intermediate School, she was told the earrings had to come out or he could not be admitted.

Jerry Roberts, KISD superintendent, said his hands were tied. "This is a policy set by the school board, not me, so if the policy is going to be changed, the board will have to vote to change it," said Roberts.

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

Sherrie says when it comes to getting an education there is no difference between a girl wearing an earring and a boy wearing an earring. She picketed the KISD administration building before securing a place on the board's agenda.

"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," said Roberts. "This could take as much as two to three months. 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.

"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 the KISD student handbook prohibits all body piercing except for girls' earrings.

Jody Clements, who will become superintendent 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 has been in effect for more than 14 years.

The meeting is open to the public and will start at 6 p.m. at the KISD Administration Building located at 301 N. Kilgore St.