Life Hammondwas arrested Redmond Junion High School, for defending a dress her 15-year daughter, Promise, wore to a dance. Apparently, Promise's dress violated the dress code, and the principal forced her to keep her coat on during the entire event.
When I saw pictures of Promise's dress, I got as furious as the mother. The dress shows no cleavage, and though a little tight, it's a fine school dance dress.
First of all, the dress-code is enforced at the principal's discretion. This arbitrary enforcement leaves too much room for favoritism, especially with a principal who evidently has a big problem with power. The district needs to do their job and step in on behalf of Promise Hammond and her mother.
After the dance, Promise's mother approached the principal and asked, "You made my daughter wear a coat the whole night for the dance on the last celebration for the school year?'"
The next day, she went to the school and told an office manager that she would be accompanying her daughter to classes that day. But apparently, district policy requires all visits to be approved in advance by the principal. When she repeatedly refused to leave the building, the school's officer intervened. Life Hammond was eventually handcuffed and arrested, on suspicion of criminal trespass.
Really?
The school has a policy prohibiting "visitors" to the school without prior approval by the principal? Is this even legal? Are parents of the students considered visitors?
Promise is a minor. She attends a public school funded by public funds, so if her mother would like to stop at the school to chat, give her a medication, or just say hello, she has every right to do so. __This isn't a juvenile detention center, and this is clearly an abuse of power by the principal.
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How is it that the school is getting away with this? I can't imagine that I'm the only mother that feels this way. What about all the mothers at Redmond Junior High? They should all take an interest in this matter. In fact, the City of Redmond should take an interest in this matter too.
Hammond has filed a grievance against the Redmond Junior High Principal and is principal's supervisor.
I really hope the school board is more reasonable, and mostly, I hope that this terrible excuse for a principal gets an evaluation and gets his teaching license away.
What would you do if this happened to your daughter?
Images via KIRO TV
