DAVIS COUNTY, Utah -
For the Indian holiday of Diwali, 12-year-old Suzannah Pabla decided to get her nose pierced, like other women do in India. "I really love my culture down in India," she told Fox 13 News on Wednesday. But when she showed up to classes at Bountiful Jr. High, she found herself in trouble for violating the school's dress code.
"The teacher saw me and she made a big deal out of it and said I had to go to the office with her. So I went to the office with her and they said I can't go back to any of my classes until it's out," she said. "I couldn't take it out so they put me in detention."
Pabla was suspended and returned to classes on Tuesday after a week. After much back and forth with her mother over whether it was religious or cultural, Pabla agreed to swap out the flower stud in her nose for a clear one. The Davis School District said Wednesday that each individual school decides dress code policies, with input from some parents. There's no exemption for expressions of cultural heritage.
"At Bountiful Jr., the parents decided that the only piercings they allow are ear piercings. No other body piercing," said Davis School District spokesman Chris Williams.
At this point there is also no plans for the school to revisit whether it needs to change that policy.
"If it was religious, I think there would be a revisitation. Culturally, it's very difficult," Williams said, adding that the district does not allow students to wear leis at graduation because it's tradition, not cultural.
Williams said the district did seek input about Hindu and Sikh faiths about their beliefs on piercings. Culturally, piercings are fairly common in India, Pabla's mother said.
"She didn't do it to rebel. She just wanted to be a part of her culture," said Shirley Pabla, the girl's mother.
New census figures said the suburban community of Bountiful is second only to Pleasant Grove for the least amount of minorities in a population. Shirley Pabla, who is also a substitute teacher at Bountiful Jr. High, said school officials and the community at large need to recognize the diversity that is there in the student body.
"I wish we were more diverse here in Bountiful. There's not a lot of people of color here in Bountiful," she said.
FOX 13's Ben Winslow has more.
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"The teacher saw me and she made a big deal out of it and said I had to go to the office with her. So I went to the office with her and they said I can't go back to any of my classes until it's out," she said. "I couldn't take it out so they put me in detention."
Pabla was suspended and returned to classes on Tuesday after a week. After much back and forth with her mother over whether it was religious or cultural, Pabla agreed to swap out the flower stud in her nose for a clear one. The Davis School District said Wednesday that each individual school decides dress code policies, with input from some parents. There's no exemption for expressions of cultural heritage.
"At Bountiful Jr., the parents decided that the only piercings they allow are ear piercings. No other body piercing," said Davis School District spokesman Chris Williams.
At this point there is also no plans for the school to revisit whether it needs to change that policy.
"If it was religious, I think there would be a revisitation. Culturally, it's very difficult," Williams said, adding that the district does not allow students to wear leis at graduation because it's tradition, not cultural.
Williams said the district did seek input about Hindu and Sikh faiths about their beliefs on piercings. Culturally, piercings are fairly common in India, Pabla's mother said.
"She didn't do it to rebel. She just wanted to be a part of her culture," said Shirley Pabla, the girl's mother.
New census figures said the suburban community of Bountiful is second only to Pleasant Grove for the least amount of minorities in a population. Shirley Pabla, who is also a substitute teacher at Bountiful Jr. High, said school officials and the community at large need to recognize the diversity that is there in the student body.
"I wish we were more diverse here in Bountiful. There's not a lot of people of color here in Bountiful," she said.
FOX 13's Ben Winslow has more.
SEND US YOUR NEWS, WEATHER AND SPORTS PICTURES! www.fox13now.com/pics
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! @fox13now
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