This Dad Stood Up for His Daughter in the Best Way After She Was Dress Coded at School

@opinionatedcanadianmama/TikTok

School dress codes were established with the idea that attention should be directed primarily toward education. Fashion should not present a distraction. While the intention may have been noble, school dress codes have often been a way to overly police students — especially female students.

Female students are often sexualized and subject to intense scrutiny in the name of dress codes. Just a couple of years ago, one teen girl wore a dress with a little bit of lace on it, and she was called out in front of her fellow students by her teachers. Thankfully, her father had her back.

Karis wore a knee-length dress with a turtleneck.

Yes, you read that right. The incident began when administrators sent Karis, a student in Kamloops, British Colombia, Canada, home for dressing inappropriately. The 17-year-old wore a knee-length black dress with lace trim at the top over a long-sleeved, white turtleneck. Her teacher saw the outfit and sent her to the principal’s office. Karis’ father Chris Wilson was appalled by the whole thing and decided to record his first TikTok in response.

Wilson said his daughter came home in tears.

In the video, Wilson said, “My beautiful daughter got sent home from school today because she made the teacher’s assistant and the teacher uncomfortable,” he began. He explained that his daughter came home in tears for being singled out and accused of dressing inappropriately in front of her her fellow classmates.

He then moves over to reveal his daughter’s outfit. Which is surprisingly modest. And she’s entirely covered. Wilson believed the teachers’ comments came because the dress had lace on it.

The teachers reasoned that the dress reminded them of lingerie.

Later, in an interview with CBC Radio West, Wilson said, “Karis was told that it could possibly make the male student teacher feel awkward and it could make [her female classroom teacher] feel awkward since it reminded her of a lingerie outfit.” Thankfully, her father wasn’t the only one who defended her. Karis’ classmates staged a walkout a few days after the incident.

One mom said 'uncomfortable' is coded language.

@opinionatedcanadianmama hey Kamloops school district ....no okay #imwithkaris #fyp #dobetter #careeradvice #rant #momsoftiktok ♬ original sound - Courtney Cox

Wilson was touched by the support. “If there's a silver lining to this, [after feeling] that centered out and awkward, [it's to] have everyone stand up, stand beside you and say, no, this isn't OK, we're with you,” he told CBC.

The students weren’t the only ones speaking out in support of Karis. Strangers from TikTok also came forward and created the hashtag #ImWithKaris.

“I’m fired up,” @opinionatedcanadianmama said about the incident in a stitch of Wilson’s original video. “I’m sorry ‘uncomfortable’ is code for sexually aroused and if you sir cannot teach a class without becoming sexually aroused by your students, you shouldn’t be allowed to be a teacher.”

Wilson says the school may want to revisit their dress code policy.

The school’s dress code reportedly said that anything distracting to students or teachers was unacceptable. But Wilson couldn’t determine what about her outfit was so distracting Karis had to miss class.

He also noted that he though the rule might have been enacted back in 1995 and was outdated, but that turned out not to be the case, according to the US Sun. In fact, he says he confronted the principal, and they even admitted they didn't see anything wrong with the outfit.

The entire ordeal impacted Karis' self-confidence.

"She had a snowboarding accident a month or two ago and couldn't be active for a while. She had started going to the gym and feeling better about herself," the dad told US Sun.

"The one day she decided to wear a dress and feel good about herself, this is how they reacted."

It all led to Karis' questioning her decisions. "She elaborated a little bit and said, 'Dad, if I wear just my track pants and hoodie, if I wear something comfortable, am I conforming? If I wear something I feel pretty in, am I trying to rub it in their face?'" Wilson shared.

Ultimately, Karis ended up finishing her senior year at home by choice, although she was able to walk with her friends at graduation.

We sure hope the school district has revisited its rules!