Students suspended after attending promotional event

A number of students of a Corporate Area school were reportedly suspended after attending a promotional event put on by entertainer-entrepreneur Starr Dawkins.

Dawkins, who recently launched the mobile truck platform for her self-hygiene brand Cookie Wash, also hosted a separate giveaway event at which goodie bags containing sanitary napkins were given to students. It is believed that the students attended the event while wearing full uniform. Although the exact number of suspended students has not been confirmed, one student estimates that more than 30 attended the event. The suspension letter, a copy of which THE STAR has seen, was signed by the school's acting vice-principal.

"I wish to inform you that your daughter/ward of [class] has committed serious breaches of discipline and has been placed on 'in-house suspension' for 5 days starting October 3, 2023. Your child/ward should return on October 9, 2023 wearing her black dress," it stated.

Concerned about the impact on students' academic progress, the guardian of one suspended student said that the child has school-based assessments (SBAs) to complete.

"She reaches home around 5 p.m. every day. From that time until up to 9 p.m. she works on her SBAs, and one week out of school is going to severely affect her preparations. You know how much things them learn in one day, much less one week?"

She suggested that the principal could have better communicated the school rules and regulations and give the girls a warning, as many were unaware that their action was prohibited. She pointed out that based on videos and pictures, the students were not doing anything inappropriate or derogatory. Dawkins also expressed her disappointment.

"I spoke to the principal and what she explained to me is that she had no issue with what I promoted and is appreciative of what I did for the girls, and she also feels somewhat kind of sad that there is a punishment associated with it," she said. Dawkins said that based on her understanding, the issue was that the girls were at an 'outside' event dancing in their uniforms.

"She said the issue is the location and that the school was not aware," she added. Dawkins said the girls were well-behaved and engaged in the educational aspect of personal hygiene. She said that they also praised their school at the event, and so it is heartbreaking that they were penalised.

"I told her (the principal) it would have been great if [she] told them that [she] was made aware of their participation of the event, outline the breach of their uniform outside of campus, so what [she] would prefer [was] if the event was on campus, I would have gladly done it," she explained, adding that she hoped the incident opens up a conversation for change.