Apr 26, 2012
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The elementary school daughters of a soldier paralyzed in Afghanistan were punished for wearing t-shirts that bore the logo of an organization that provides homes for severely wounded veterans, according to their mother. However, the Texas school district said it has absolutely nothing to do with the logo — and everything to do with the dress code.
The girls, in first grade and fourth grade at Masters Elementary School, were wearing t-shirts provided by “Homes For Our Troops.” Their mother, Josie Perez-Gorda, said they had recently received word that the organization might be offering the family assistance in building a home that would be safe for her husband.
Army Spc. Justin Perez-Gorda was injured by a road-side bomb in Afghanistan, she told San Antonio television station KENS.
“These guys are fighting for our country and they should be able to wear something that honors their parents, especially if they are wounded,” Perez-Gorda told the television station.
But the Judson Independent School District disagrees. They said the girls were punished because they violated the dress code — not because of the message on the shirt.
“We have a standardized dress code,” Judson ISD spokesperson Aubrey Chancellor told Fox News. “Had the shirt had a collar, it would have been totally fine.”
Chancellor stressed that the school district is not anti-American or anti-military — and said the public has only heard one portion of the story.
“It’s unfortunate it’s become what is on the shirt,” she said. “It was never about what was on the shirt. It was the type of shirt.”
Chancellor said the children had previously violated the dress code multiple times. So when the girls showed up with the t-shirts, the principal called Perez-Gorda explained the problem.
“The principal bought two shirts for the kids — so they could wear them,” she said. But the mother declined. Chancellor said she took her children home and called the media.
“Clearly we are sympathetic to that family,” she said. “Our hearts go out to all military families.”
Perez-Gorda told the television station the girls were not intentionally violating the dress code. They simply wore the t-shirts to show support for their father.
A spokesperson for Homes For Our Troops could not be reached for comment.
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At some point after a person decides to have children they need to realize that means they have to learn how to become parents!
They'd have been applauded had they worn Obama t-shirts, or shirts celebrating (phony) liberal causes such as autism, global warming, breast cancer, etc.
This story gets my prize for the most misleading title ever. This was a dress code violation, something the girls have a history of doing, and had nothing whatsoever to do with the articles of clothing they were wearing. My guess is the author is trolling.
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Welcome to Fox News.
While not a veteran myself, I am the daughter and grand daughter of veterans. Since the mother knew the dress code from the previous incident, why didn't she have the girls wear a collared shirt under the t-shirts. That would have solved both problems. Or, if she is talented enough, sew a collar onto the shirts. It can be done.
I agree in this case. In an era where so many "educators" are making dumb decisons, this one seems correct. The article makes it seem the content was the problem when the type of shirt was. Another example of the power of the media to distort facts.
I'm a veteran as well, and I agree with you. Trying to create a story where there isn't one.
Yes, they were intentionally violating the dress code. Their mom seems to want to break the dress code so that she can claim that her kids are victims and so that she can get her 15 minutes of fame.
THIS SHOW YOU THAT TEACHER AND SCHOOLS ARE ANTI=MILITARY NEED TO GET OUT OF THE SYSTEM OF TEACHING HISTORY TO OUR CHILDERN. WE KNOW THE LEFTIST AND SOCIALIST LIBERAL ARE ANTI=MILITARY PERIOD THEY ARE SCUMBAG LOWIFES PERIOD.
Don't hold back Bill……tell us how you really feel!
http://www.TheTrueProphetSpeaks.com
If my kids school had a policy to wear a collared shirt, I would have either worn the collared shirt under the tshirt if that were allowed… or cut up the tshirt and sewn it onto a collared shirt. Its a realistic rule.
There is a simple solution, and one that would prove the true intention of the school – wear the t shirt over a shirt with a collar.
Article shouldn't have been published. Other kids violate dress codes and it doesn't become news.
So have them make you one on the organizations shirts on a polo…problem solved. I'm a pro military as someone non-military can get…but the rules are in place. You have been in trouble for violating them with non-military related clothing before. How about you do the right thing and teach your children how to admit you were wrong and apologize.
Now see this is the Media for you! First this woman was intentionally allowing her daughters to violate a dress code. Second she NEVER walks her kids to the bus stop, just sits in her garage smoking cigarettes. Third has openly admitted to telling her kids they need a cigarette and a cup of coffee, because they stress more than she does. Fourth there has been many occasions where she is not home when her children get home from school, and so they walk all the way down the street by themselves and enter the house through the garage. This is just her retaliation, and using her husband as the excuse. If she would have followed the dress code then this would not be an issue, because my daughter has worn a T-shirt in support of my deployment to Iraq, and an entire uniform also, over her "collared shirt" and there was no issues. If you are a jacked up parent don't go around blaming folks, great way to show your kids that life has rules to follow, even if you don't like or obviously understand them.
"Mom" I think not!
Clearly the Mom is out of line here.If the school has a dress code the girls should be following it.It states they have done this before so now they are using the Military to try and get away with behavior that is disrespecting the school rules and ultimately making their Mom look bad.Shame on them. Why couldn't they just worn the shirts after school?
If all that is missing is a collar, then the mother should sew collars on the shirts and see how they react to them then. If they still tell the girls to remove the shirts, then yes, they are obviously against the message on the shirts. If they accept them with the collars added then it was all about the dress code from the start. Simple fix for the problem, sew collars on the shirts.