Kamloops high school students rally for teen dismissed over outfit

Chants of "I stand wih Karis" rang out at a secondary school in Kamloops today as controversy flared when her peers walked out to protest action against the girl over her choice of clothing.

Dozens of students at NorKam Secondary School protested today, Feb. 24. One had a sign that read, "My education is more important than what I wear."

The focus of the rally was student Karis Wilson and the fact she was dismissed Tuesday from school over the clothing she wore.

Karis Wilson was dismissed from Norkam Secondary over this outfit. Facebook/Chris Wilson

Her dress with laced edges, which she wore over a turtleneck, was making a female teacher and a male student-teacher uncomfortable, according to a social media statement by her father.

Today, School District 73 responded to the controversy.

"We are also concerned about these allegations and are treating them seriously. The incident is currently under review," the school district said in a statement.

However, school officials also said they will not comment on the incident involving Wilson, and speaking to iNFOnews, Wilson said no school official has spoken with her about it.

“The fact all these people would come out, people I don’t even know, or maybe don’t even like me, it shows something needs to be done, changed," Wilson said.

Students stood outside for several minutes after 2 p.m. in a biting cold wind, many of them girls wearing turtlenecks or clothing that Wilson called "revealing."

She said she told those girls to go back inside but, “it was a beautiful thing they would stand outside in the freezing cold to show their support.”

She also said she was messaged by male students who offered to change and come back to join the walkout.

Karis Wilson stands outside NorKam Secondary School after school rally Darren Rathwell


To contact a reporter for this story, email Darren Rathwell or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.
Darren Rathwell

Whether it be print, broadcast, or online, Darren's journalism career has spanned several years and three provinces, most recently as a news producer at GlobalBC. A change of experience was in order however, and a return to his roots as a community reporter is an opportunity Darren had to seize; allowing him to bring light to important issues with an 'on the ground' approach. For a fair and balanced look
at your story, you can reach Darren at (250)819-6089 .