A local family says CMS is treating
female students unfairly when it
comes to dress code violations.
They say it's to the point that
they have filed a Title 9 complaint.
And so in this report exclusively
shared with WCNC Charlotte,
the family details statements they say
the dune the Dean of students made which
traumatized their middle school daughter.
Now, a Title 9 complaint lets students
lodge allegations of sex discrimination,
including complaints of sexual
harassment or sexual violence,
and WCNC, Charlotte.
Marie Morrison shows us how
the district is responding
to the claims and
why the family says
it's not good enough.
When you ask Josie Mill about
her middle school in Cornelius,
you can tell she enjoys it.
A lot of clubs and a lot of really
fun electives and the Common
Core teachers are really nice.
But after an incident at Bailey
Middle School on August 31st,
her feelings have shifted dramatically.
We get lectures pretty much every day
about something at lunch that morning
we were expecting to get a lecture
there. Dean of Students leads the talks
normally. She has a chant about the
seven habits of highly effective teens.
So we were expecting her to have us change.
And when we got there, she started
on a lecture about dress code.
In this Title 9 complaint
exclusively shared with WCNC,
Josie's parents say the Dean of
students said that there was,
quote, a new dress standard
for girls at the school.
She mentioned that we had to bend
down in our mirror every morning
and stretch in front of our mirror
every morning to make sure that we
were in compliance of dress code.
And then Woodbury had a start.
Chanting bust belly button continuously.
For around 2 minute,
CMS told WCNC, Dean of students
quote did say those words.
However, no chanting of those words
were forcibly led or encouraged.
WCNC obtained a copy of
an e-mail sent by Bailey,
Middle School's principal to community
members asking about the August 31st event.
The principal says to answer
questions about the dress quote quote.
Mrs Woodbury addressed these,
which inadvertently led
to the students chanting,
adding it wasn't intentional.
Quote as she has students chant 7 habits
and other things on a regular basis.
I believe this was an incident that
simply got away from her, he said.
No one was singled out for gender.
And he apologized.
Who hasn't gotten an apology?
Can I have a hug, mom?
Yeah, I was going to hug you,
but I thought it would make you cry more.
You're OK. This family.
I'm so proud of you.
I haven't spoken to anyone
at the school in leadership.
My guess is that they would
like this to go away.
However, there's still
targeting girls for dress code.
Deb and Howard Mill,
Josie's parents say they made two
calls to the school before making
this Twitter post about the incident.
The district denies any calls
or made to the principal.
Say no, stop this.
You don't need to go looking
in front of a mirror.
The first thing you need to do,
the last thing you do before
you leave the house,
make sure you've got everything
you need to succeed. Today,
and asked about the incident about
three weeks ago at a press conference,
CMS Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh said this.
I do know that's been addressed by the
learning Community Superintendent with the
principal and the principal working with
their staff to ensure that that type of
process is handled a little bit better.
I think you don't embarrass
them in front of their peers.
I think you do it in a common sense fashion
and you would take them or just ask.
Come with me please,
and have a conversation about,
you know, adhering to the dress code.
We do know the district is aware
of the Mel's Twitter posts.
The principal addressed the issue via
e-mail with community members and the
highest authority in the district.
The Superintendent of
schools knows Josie's story.
It's teaching the boys.
At our school. That.
Girls can be treated like objects
and that we can be treated like.
We are there for boys to look at.
Because at this point,
that's what they're saying by saying
that our clothes are distracting.