Teacher sues over school dress code and being singled out at assembly

A woman is suing the principal and sponsoring body of the Ma On Shan school where she used to teach, claiming its dress code discriminated against her on the grounds of her sex and that the principal publicly humiliated her over her attire.

According to a writ filed in the District Court yesterday by the Equal Opportunities Commission, Kwong Ho-ying is also seeking damages for being singled out over her clothes at morning assembly at the Hong Kong Chinese Women's Club Fung Yiu King Memorial Secondary School.

The writ says Kwong suffered tremendous stress because of the dress code imposed by principal Dr Suen Lee-wa and had to have counselling. She eventually resigned after teaching at the school for two months.

Kwong is asking the court to rule the requirement that women teachers wear dresses, skirts or trouser suits is discriminatory and to order the school to dump the dress code.

The writ says Kwong was hired by the aided school for a one-year appointment starting in September 2007, and that no dress code was specified in the letter of appointment. But Suen told the first staff meeting that women teachers had to wear dresses or skirts to work.

The writ says Kwong was reluctant to wear a dress or skirt, so she wore a knitted top and dress trousers on the first school day. When Suen saw her attire, she asked Kwong to come to her office, where she told Kwong to wear a trouser suit in future if she did not want to wear a dress or skirt.

The next day Kwong wore a trouser suit, but the principal suggested she consider resigning because it appeared they would not get along well.