WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A school district in southeast Iowa has apologized after disciplining a student who is recovering from cancer treatment and violated the dress code by covering her head.
The Hawk Eye reports that 15-year-old Chloe Terpenning was disciplined last week at West Burlington High School for not following the school’s dress code regarding head wear. Chloe is currently in remission following chemotherapy treatment for stage two Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Superintendent David Schmitt says West Burlington Independent School District apologizes to Chloe for their insensitive approach to dealing with her hair loss. Schmitt says it was an “error of judgment” and that the district has taken action to prevent this from happening again.
Chloe started a petition Friday to end to the head wear policy for current and future cancer patients. As of Wednesday, December 13th, that petition was around 600 shy of its goal of 14,000 supporters.
Written in the petition, it says “I want to put an end to this policy for myself and any future cancer patients.”
