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Wrong Signal!
Educators rap sleazy depiction of school uniforms in fashion show
BY MARK CUMMINGS Observer West senior reporter cummingsm@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Sassy International model in the St James High School uniform. (Photos: Phillip Lemonte) Sassy International model in the Farm Primary and Junior High School uniform. Sassy International model in the Anchovy High School uniform.
MONTEGO BAY, St James - Educators here are outraged at the promoter of 'Rip the Runway', a fashion show which showcased models parading in skimpy, risque versions of uniforms of several Montego Bay schools on the weekend.
Joseph Williams, principal of the St James High School. (Photo: Mark Cummings)
The show, which was staged at the Aqua Sol Theme Park by Charles Douglas' Sassy International outfit, is sponsored by Claro telecommunications company, the distributors of Power Wine, Clinicare Pharmacy, Wexford Hotel and the TVM cable station.
"This ought not to be. It is not supposed to happen; the uniform is part of the identity of the school," said Joseph Williams, the principal of St James High School.
One of Sassy's models - believed to be a past student of St James High - paraded on the stage in a skimpy skirt, the institution's tie and a revealing midriff blouse all made from the school's uniform.
Williams said students and past students should know the value of their uniform and warned that any student found to be modelling in the school's uniform at fashion shows would have to "answer to the school".
Ida Rhoden, principal of the Farm Primary and Junior High School in Green Pond, also expressed disgust at the modelling of the school's uniform by one of her students.
Ida Rhoden, principal of the Farm Primary and Junior High School. (Photo: Alan Lewin)
"This is sending the wrong signal... the guidance counsellor and myself will have to have a talk with the student," she told the Observer West.
Chairman of the Farm Primary and Junior High School board Trevor Parkinson said his school would not tolerate such behaviour.
"We will have to take action against any of our students engaging in this sort of thing," he stressed, declining to elaborate.
The Anchovy High School's uniform was also on show at the event, much to the disgust of Principal Lambert Robinson.
Trevor Parkinson, chairman of Farm Primary and Junior High. (Photo: Alan Lewin)
"We want to be identified in a positive way. We have been producing quality students over the years against all the odds and to see our uniform used in such a manner is something we are strongly against," he said.
"They can model in the pretty clothes that they have but not in the school's uniform, he added, pointing out that Douglas needed to rethink his decision.
But a defiant Douglas, who plans to make the event an annual affair, disagreed.
"I can't see why they should have a problem with it. It is a fashion statement; nobody could go to a school looking like that in those clothes," he said, adding that the schools should feel proud that they have produced models.
In the meantime, senior education officer at the Ministry of Education Hilliary Foster said the ministry is against the modelling of school uniforms in this fashion.
"The whole thing is inappropriate and gives the school a bad image. It is something that we don't condone," she said.
'Rip the Runway', which began on August 22, is staged weekly.
The contest, which is scheduled to end within another three weeks, began with 40 females - mostly students - between the ages of 16 and 22, Douglas said.
Six girls are left in the competition which offers several prizes, including $100,000 in cash to the top model.
Educators rap sleazy depiction of school uniforms in fashion show
BY MARK CUMMINGS Observer West senior reporter cummingsm@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Sassy International model in the St James High School uniform. (Photos: Phillip Lemonte) Sassy International model in the Farm Primary and Junior High School uniform. Sassy International model in the Anchovy High School uniform.
MONTEGO BAY, St James - Educators here are outraged at the promoter of 'Rip the Runway', a fashion show which showcased models parading in skimpy, risque versions of uniforms of several Montego Bay schools on the weekend.
Joseph Williams, principal of the St James High School. (Photo: Mark Cummings)
The show, which was staged at the Aqua Sol Theme Park by Charles Douglas' Sassy International outfit, is sponsored by Claro telecommunications company, the distributors of Power Wine, Clinicare Pharmacy, Wexford Hotel and the TVM cable station.
"This ought not to be. It is not supposed to happen; the uniform is part of the identity of the school," said Joseph Williams, the principal of St James High School.
One of Sassy's models - believed to be a past student of St James High - paraded on the stage in a skimpy skirt, the institution's tie and a revealing midriff blouse all made from the school's uniform.
Williams said students and past students should know the value of their uniform and warned that any student found to be modelling in the school's uniform at fashion shows would have to "answer to the school".
Ida Rhoden, principal of the Farm Primary and Junior High School in Green Pond, also expressed disgust at the modelling of the school's uniform by one of her students.
Ida Rhoden, principal of the Farm Primary and Junior High School. (Photo: Alan Lewin)
"This is sending the wrong signal... the guidance counsellor and myself will have to have a talk with the student," she told the Observer West.
Chairman of the Farm Primary and Junior High School board Trevor Parkinson said his school would not tolerate such behaviour.
"We will have to take action against any of our students engaging in this sort of thing," he stressed, declining to elaborate.
The Anchovy High School's uniform was also on show at the event, much to the disgust of Principal Lambert Robinson.
Trevor Parkinson, chairman of Farm Primary and Junior High. (Photo: Alan Lewin)
"We want to be identified in a positive way. We have been producing quality students over the years against all the odds and to see our uniform used in such a manner is something we are strongly against," he said.
"They can model in the pretty clothes that they have but not in the school's uniform, he added, pointing out that Douglas needed to rethink his decision.
But a defiant Douglas, who plans to make the event an annual affair, disagreed.
"I can't see why they should have a problem with it. It is a fashion statement; nobody could go to a school looking like that in those clothes," he said, adding that the schools should feel proud that they have produced models.
In the meantime, senior education officer at the Ministry of Education Hilliary Foster said the ministry is against the modelling of school uniforms in this fashion.
"The whole thing is inappropriate and gives the school a bad image. It is something that we don't condone," she said.
'Rip the Runway', which began on August 22, is staged weekly.
The contest, which is scheduled to end within another three weeks, began with 40 females - mostly students - between the ages of 16 and 22, Douglas said.
Six girls are left in the competition which offers several prizes, including $100,000 in cash to the top model.
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