Despite cross-dressing flap on field trip, school won't change

O'FALLON, Mo. -- Despite the flap over a father chaperoning a fourth-grade field trip while dressed as a woman, a St. Louis-area school district has decided it won't make parental conduct or other policy changes -- at least for now.

The Francis Howell School District's board voted 5-2 to rely on its existing policies and practices to "deal with educational disruptions," apparently upholding the rights of parents to participate in school activities even if their attire is at issue.

Still, the district plans to seek advice within weeks from lawyers with the Missouri School Boards' Association.

While saying he did not accept the father's dress as normal, Francis Howell board member Gary Arthur said "all parents have the right to be involved in their children's education."

Board member Lisa Naeger, who voted against the motion, said the district should seek outside legal advice, convinced "there is another side to this issue, and I don't think we've heard it."

At issue is a father who, while supervising an Oct. 18 field trip to Jefferson City by Castlio Elementary School fourth-graders, apparently wore a woman's hairstyle, makeup, a sweater, women's jeans and women's shoes.

At a November school board meeting, some parents objected to the district letting the father chaperone the trip. At another meeting, they asked the board to develop guidelines for conduct and dress for chaperones on field trips and at school parties, and for volunteers working in the schools.

During the Thursday night meeting, most speakers called for a policy change.

Vickie McMichael, who as the mother of a child who took part in the questioned field trip originally complained to the board, said not changing the policy was a mistake.

"It really is amazing what some of you have come to consider normal," said McMichael, 40.

But Marty Hodits, 54, who has worked for the same business as the father and whose wife teaches at Castlio, said those who objected to the father's manner of dress were part of a small, vocal group trying to keep him from being involved in the school.

"The reality is that there was no problem on the field trip," Hodits said. "The children were never in any danger and did not even question this parent's gender. To them, she was simply another parent."

The father in question has not spoken publicly about the matter.