Coventry schoolgirl, 12, put in isolation for wearing Union Flag dress on culture day...

[dutchman]

Courtney Wright, from Coventry, was left "really upset" after the school in Rugby hauled her out of lessons due to the Union Jack dress she was wearing



A 12-year-old girl was left heartbroken after she was isolated for wearing a Union Flag dress during her school's culture day. Courtney Wright, a 'Straight A' student from Coventry, sported the Spice Girls-inspired dress and prepared a speech on British history and customs for the event last Friday.

However, the Year 7 student was stunned when she was informed that her dress was "unacceptable" and was removed from her classes to sit in the reception area until her father came to pick her up.

Her father, Stuart Field, 47, who works in marine restoration, was stunned when he found out his daughter had been separated from her classmates at Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire, due to her dress choice.

Stuart remarked: "Courtney was so embarrassed and couldn't understand what she'd done wrong. She should not be made to feel embarrassed about being British.

"And she shouldn't be punished for celebrating British culture and history - nobody else I've spoken to can quite get their heads around it.

"Somebody at the school has politicised a Union Jack dress even though that was clearly not Courtney's intent. Courtney didn't do anything to be political. It's about being British, the Spice Girls and even the freedom of being able to wear a dress.

"This was her interpretation of British culture and what it means to her."

In the run-up to Culture Celebration Day, a letter sent home to parents described the event as "designed to promote inclusion, understanding, and appreciation of different backgrounds, traditions and heritages".

However, Stuart argued that the measures taken by the school contradicted its supposed ethos; students brandishing St George's and Welsh flags were denied entry at the school gates.

The father of five elaborated: "It's the school who have made it political and it went against everything the event was being held for.

"She's a straight A student, one of the brightest in her year and she's never been in trouble before so she was really upset."