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High school girl will be allowed to 'paint up' like the boys
by Patrick Thomas, ABC 33/40

Macie Joines (pictured right) says she can't dress like the boys at high school football games because she is a girl. Joines then created a petition to challenge the Spain Park administration policy. (WBMA)

AA
UPDATE:
Spain Park High senior Macie Joines WILL be allowed to 'paint up' for the game this week.

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HOOVER, Ala. (WBMA) - A Spain Park High School senior says she isn't getting to take part in all the fun at Friday night football games.
Why? She says it's because of her school's dress code policy toward girls.
Spain Park High senior Macie Joines is just like any high schooler who looks forward to Friday night football games, cheering on her team. Except she says, she can't do it like the boys.
Joines told ABC 33/40, "I felt powerless, intimidated, and they proceeded to tell me that I wasn't allowed to paint up in a sports bra [and] that I could choose to paint up in a T-shirt and participate that way."
She said earlier in the football season some high school boys approached her to tell her she and the other girls couldn't paint up as part of the "spirit squad". Joines said some of her friends chose not to paint up because of this, but she didn't take it as the official word from the school.
Joines took the opinions of her fellow male classmates at face value but decided to talk with school administration to make sure she would be clear.
Joines says her school administrators informed her of her dress code violation on the day of the Homecoming game -- the same day her male counterparts were allowed to "paint up" shirtless.
"There were also some people commenting and saying, 'I think I painted up in 2007.' How could we have backtracked in 10 years?" Joines says.
Joines decided to fight the school's decision through an online petition on change.org which now has more than 1,000 signatures.
Matt Laird is a 2005 graduate who shared the petition on Facebook.
Laird explained, "(It's) unfair the way the administration or whoever it was, was not allowing her to cheer the way she wanted to cheer with her male friends."
Joines says although she respects the administration, she thinks this decision is too restrictive.
"I do feel they are being a little bit overprotective, " said Joines.
A Hoover mother agrees.
She said, "As long as she is not being too racy or immodest, I think she should definitely have the same experience as the boys."
The mounting support behind Joines' petition gives her hope.
"I think to some adults, this is a minor issue," explained Joines. "But for me in my life, this is where I'm at. I am a high schooler. I feel like this is something I want to do."
Jason Gaston with Hoover City Schools released this statement: "An initial decision was made regarding this student situation, a request has been made to review that decision, and we are in the process of doing so."

http://fox45now.com/news/nation-world/al...r-equality