EXCLUSIVE: Mother Says Child’s Teacher Told Her to Wear Sweater in Severe Heat Over Dress Code Violation

While the Central Valley baked in temperatures of more than 100 degrees Monday, a parent said her child’s teacher made her wear a sweater all day because of a dress code violation.

The student is a third grader at Sheridan Elementary in Orange Cove. Superintendent Juan Garza with the Kings Canyon Unified School District said they are aware of the incident and looking into to, but Garza said the teacher has said she did not make the student wear the sweater.

Shelly Sandoval said she was worried when her 9-year-old daughter Emma came home from school Monday flushed, swollen, and sweaty in 105 degree weather.

"She pretty much ran through the door saying her head hurt, she was dizzy, really nauseous," Sandoval said.

"I felt like I was going to fall, and I was really dizzy," Emma said.

She told her mother that the teacher told her to wear her sweater because her tank top violated the dress code.

"She had addressed the class before she told my daughter–‘Everybody, it’s going to be a hot day. It’s going to be 105. Please, everybody, take your sweaters off.’ As soon as that announcement was over, she singled out my daughter and said, ‘Let me see how many fingers your straps are,’" Sandoval said.

"’Is it four fingers?’ I put it, and it was. And she said, ‘Put your sweater on.’ I’m all, ok. And then she made me wear it all day," Emma said.

Emma told her mother this happened in the morning and she wore the sweater all day at school, even outside during P.E.

"So first thing I did was [ask] why didn’t you take it off. And she tells me that she would’ve got punished if she would’ve taken it off," Sandoval said.

Over the phone, Superintendent Garza said Emma’s well being is important, and he’d like to get everyone in the same room to figure out what happened. 

Sandoval said the dress code violation could’ve been resolved with a call home.

"I mean–call. That’s all they have to do. I would have walked to her school. it’s right there," Sandoval said.

Garza said the principal offered Sandoval a parent-teacher conference but Sandoval declined it. Sandoval said it’s because she doesn’t want an apology, and wants to make sure other students don’t have the same experience.

Sandoval said she’s agreed to meet with the district Wednesday.