George Johnson, 17, thought that wearing brightly-colored Christmas suits to school would be the perfect way to celebrate the holidays.
However, his teachers thought differently and banned him from wearing them because they thought the suits were “inappropriate.”
Watch to find out more of George’s story!
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Video credit: Rumble
At £65($85) for each suit, George had a lot of motivation to start a petition so that he can continue wearing the jolly attire to school. His local councilor even supported the move but the school hasn’t budged. However, they did say he can wear the suits at two school charity events but not during ordinary schooldays.
George said: “I felt that my head of year was being a bit of a Grinch, to be really honest.
“My Christmas suits are not that distracting, they’re not about seeking attention – if people want to put their attention on me, that’s their decision.
“I’m not even sure I could be said to be breaking school rules – because they’re actually business suits, which are allowed.
“They’re certainly not inappropriate – it’s December-time. What do you expect?!
“It’s all about spreading Christmas cheer, that Christmas sort of feeling you get when people are that bit nicer to each other.
“Christmas is probably my favorite time of year, it’s very important to me. They’re not that outrageous, they’re joyful and triumphant.”
George, a part-time gymnastics coach, bought the suits on Amazon. The blue, green, and red featured various designs such as Christmas trees, snowflakes, reindeer and snowmen.
He wore them to school starting Monday but a teacher soon dragged him into a meeting on Wednesday to tell him to stop wearing them or he would be sent home.
George’s mother Sophie, 41, sells school uniforms for a living and said she had been “encouraging George to go to school in his suits” and described his head of year “a Scrooge.”
She added: “You think of all the more important things schools have to deal with – what’s the matter with them.
“I told his teacher that he was being a right old Grinch.
“It’s just a bit of fun – we all love his suits, so we think he should wear them anyway.
“George has the confidence, the nerve, to go into school, put himself in the spotlight, and make people smile and laugh.
“We’re all so proud of him, we’re really rooting for him.”
So far, George’s petition has gotten 150 signatures.
Councilor Jan Maddern even shared the petition on Facebook, writing: “This is George. George is an utter legend.
“He’s got some fabulous Christmas suits that are really smart, but Hemel School have told him he can’t wear them… this is a great shame, it’s not like he wants to wear jeans.”
Headteacher Neil Hassell responded to the criticisms, saying “there’s been some kind of confusion.”
He clarified that George was allowed to wear the Christmas suits on Mistletoe Day and Christmas Jumper Day, the school’s two charity events.
He said: “George was told that he could wear his Christmas suits on those days [school charity days], but that it was absolutely not OK to wear his Christmas suits any other time during school in December.
“George is a very flamboyant person who wears brightly-colored suits around school anyway – he can wear Christmas clothes during the school’s charity events this month, but he can’t wear anything other than normal any other time.”
Per the school’s Sixth-Form Code, sixth-form students should dress “appropriate to the school working environment” adding that those who fail “to comply with these requirements” may be sent home.
Replaced!