ST. JOHNS, Fla. — Families of the girls whose photos were altered in a local high school’s yearbook said the superintendent’s apology is a step in the right direction.
“Girls shouldn’t be referred to as inappropriate because it’s just our bodies. We’re not doing anything wrong,” said Bartram Trail High School sophomore Liz McCurdy.
McCurdy is one of 80 girls whose school photo was unknowingly altered in the yearbook.
“I looked at it, and I was like, ‘No!’ I got so mad, I was really, really upset about it,” she said.
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McCurdy said she’s worn that shirt multiple times and had never got in trouble for it. Her father, Keith McCurdy, was even shocked by the edit.
“I was not ashamed of what she wore,” said Keith McCurdy.
Action News Jax spoke with Superintendent Tim Forson on Monday.
“I’m very apologetic. It’s not anything I want ever to occur again,” she said.
Liz McCurdy’s father thinks an apology is a good step in the right direction. But what both would really like to see is change.
“I would like the school to make modifications to the dress code and keep it more fair,” Liz McCurdy said. “I’m also hoping that this whole situation takes a step to changing people’s perspective on women and girls and their bodies.”
And a great thing that has come out of this situation, according to her father, is this: “We have a bunch of young ladies that stood up for themselves and got a chance to see what they believed, and people listened.”
Forson said the school will change how it handles yearbook editing in the future so that not just one teacher is making the call.
The school board is discussing Bartram Trail’s dress code on Tuesday during a workshop at 9 a.m.
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