Students at Centennial Collegiate Vocational Institute in Guelph hit the picket lines on Friday, offended by a comment made by their principal.
Protesting with their clothes, some students were angered after their principal made a comment during an announcement about dress code.
Brittany Harlick, a student, couldn’t believe what she heard.
“Dress cool and not skanky," recalls Harlick.
“I was very offended,” said Emma Giammichele, a protesting student.
“I don’t think my clothes reflect what kind of person I am,” said Giammichele.
The next day principal Scot Bishop apologized.
“I think that sets a platform for students to think it is okay language to use in a classroom setting, where it’s completely disrespectful to use,” said Harlick.
His students say, his apology isn’t good enough.
“"To the people who are offended I’m sorry," but that is not an apology like he's apologizing for people who are offended, not because he said something that was wrong,” said Attscus Edwards, a protesting student.
The Upper Grand District School Board says every school enforces their own dress code.
At Centennial, students are not allowed to wear items like spaghetti straps, muscle shirts or clothing with inappropriate language.
Principal Bishop did not comment to CTV News, but the school board says his words were inappropriate.
The school will now launch a focus group with students and parents to look at possibly altering the dress code.
“In a way I thank him for saying what he said because it made it possible to start a conversation about slut shaming, and why it’s not ok in a school setting,” said Harlick.
