Male student booted out of class for wearing high heels; Principal feared boy was being bullied

Male student booted out of class for wearing high heels; Principal feared boy was being bullied

By Lindsay Goldwert
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Monday, April 25th 2011, 3:09 PM






A student at a Florida high school was booted from class for wearing high heels.


A male student at a Florida high school got booted out of class for wearing a pair of high heels.

Riverview High School principal Bob Heilman convinced the young man, whose name was withheld from the Tampa Bay MyFox affiliate, to take off the shoes.

A teacher had alerted the principal that the shoes were causing a disruption and that the kids were starting to call him names.

But not because the principal disapproved – but because the principal was worried about his safety.

"As the principal of a high school, I have to take the paternal side, I have to make sure that he’s going to be okay,"he said.

The high heels didn’t violate any particular dress code, the principal conceded.

While some of the high school students agreed with the principal, others felt that the student should just be allowed to wear what he likes.

The teen's friend, Riverview High School senior Hayley Stepp, told the Fox affiliate that he likes the way the shoes make him feel and that they give him confidence.

"The first time he felt shame was when he was called out of school," said Stepp.

Heilman said that some students protested on behalf of the student who was forced to take off his high heels.

"One boy wore a dress on Monday,"said Heilman. "After we chatted, he decided not to do that. I was concerned about his safety."