A teenage student was left to finish school at home after being left in “tears” following an incident that saw her sent home from school for a “lingerie outfit”. Karis Wilson, who is now 19, was sent home in February 2021 after being informed her clothes made a male teacher feel “awkward”. A female teacher added that the attire reminded her of a “lingerie outfit”. Karis had been attending NorKam Secondary School in Kamloops, British Columbia, but decided not to return following the incident.
But now she has started university in Alberta and wants to put the ordeal behind her.
It was reported that Karis was wearing a knee-length black dress with lace trim over a white turtleneck with long sleeves when teachers at her school started complaining about the outfit.
Her dad was furious after learning of her removal from school and started a Facebook Live to tell the story.
The Live amassed more than 100,000 views in total.
Christopher said: “She wasn’t wearing it in a sexual manner. She wasn’t wearing it for attention. She normally wears track pants and a hoody.
“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 feel better about herself.”
Her dad said she merely wore the dress to feel good about herself.
He added: “The one day she decided to wear a dress and feel good about herself, this is how they reacted.”
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Karis stayed at home for more than a week and those who viewed Christopher’s Live began sending hate to the school.
But as the time came closer for Karis to return to school, she become increasingly nervous about what she would wear.
Christopher said: “It became more about caring about what to wear to school than going for the education.
“She had lost more than a week of school and then she said, ‘Dad, I don’t know what to wear to school’.
Christopher said her daughter discussed what sort of clothes she would wear, speaking of her worries about how she would be perceived.
He added: “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?'”
Though she refused to return to school, she was able to finish her high school education at home.
And she was able to attend her graduation in person with her friends.
Christopher said his daughter wouldn’t change anything even if she had the chance to go back.