School suggests shapewear to tackle body image Parents outraged after issues in middle school girls
One Mississippi middle school's attempt at addressing girls' body image concerns sparked outrage among parents, forcing the school to backtrack.
Ashley Heun, of Southaven, Mississippi, became angry after her 13-year-old daughter, Caroline, handed her a letter from Southaven Middle School on Tuesday titled, "Why Do Girls Suffer from Body Image?"
The letter discussed body images issues among females and, at the bottom, offered parents the option to consent to their daughters receiving "healthy literature" and shapewear clothing items.
"We, the counsellors of Southaven Middle School, would like to have an opportunity to offer some healthy literature to your daughter on maintaining a positive body image," part of the letter reads.
"I had to reread it a few times," Heun, "My first instinct was to go up to the school and yell at every person I could find."
Heun that eighth-grader Caroline had called the letter "stupid" and didn't understand its purpose.
After calming down and gathering her thoughts, Heun took to Facebook to share her concerns. Other parents quickly chimed in, in agreement.
"It's hard to raise girls in this environment with social media, with filters and Photoshop," Heun said. "They're bombarded with images of what the ideal body is."
She then sent Southaven Principal John Sartain a lengthy email to further express her concerns.
"The letter, unfortunately, takes an unforeseen turn by offering my daughter SHAPEWEAR," Heun's email read. "If my daughter begged me for shapewear, I would tell her no. Now I find out that you are ENCOURAGING her to wear it. I, honestly, am baffled that a 'counsellor' who is TRAINED in child psychology would this is a good idea."
Sartain called Heun on Wednesday morning, and they met later that day. Heun said Sartain was very apologetic and said the counsellors had nothing but good intentions with the note. He also told her that the program had since been cancelled.
"The district has been made aware of the parental permission form sent to parents by Southaven Middle School," Lauren Margeson, DeSoto County School's executive administrative assistant to the superintendent, in a written statement. "District officials understand how this type of information causes serious concern from parents."
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