Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for October 27, 2006 CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS

Captain Underpants to the rescue...uh...to the office!

From Newsday.com...

Captain Underpants costume foils students school fun

BY JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER
Newsday Staff Writer

This sounds like a job for Captain Underpants!

If the captain's creator, author Dav Pilkey, were to write the story of the conflict Wednesday at Long Beach High School, it might open like this: The evil school principal went insane with horror when he saw three girls strolling brazenly through hallways looking like caped crusaders. Naked caped crusaders.

But in reality, principal Nicholas Restivo is simply an administrator who, on Superhero Day, had a problem with the way the three seniors were dressed. He issued them an ultimatum: Change clothes, cover up or leave school.

At the root of the clash was Captain Underpants, chubby superhero star of popular children's books in which he battles talking toilets and foes such as Professor Poopypants.

Chelsea Horowitz, Ashley Imhof and Eliana Levin, all 17, arrived at school Wednesday as the captain: They wore beige leotards and nude stockings under white briefs. Red capes flared from their backs.

Around them, students milled about dressed as Superman, Wonderwoman -- even Quail Man, the nonviolent hero from the cartoon "Doug."

Superhero Day is part of Long Beach High's Senior Week. Monday was Switch Day, where boys dressed like girls and vice versa. Tuesday was Nerd Day. Thursday is Spirit Day, where they wear school colors, blue and white. Friday is Pirate Day. But the Captain Underpants getup didn't meet the approval of principal Restivo. He described the costume as "tight-fitting, flesh-colored leotards and leggings."

"Yes, I know they weren't naked," he said. "But the appearance was that they were naked."

The outfits looked so much like nude skin that they caused a commotion among students, Restivo said. The girls and their parents all said otherwise. "They're not see-through or anything," Horowitz said. "All the teachers thought it was cute."

Restivo said they could have worn gym shorts or called someone to bring clothes to school for them.

The girls said a wardrobe change wasn't an option and they felt forced to leave school -- which they did.

Horowitz, an honor student and softball player, said they didn't want to wear "someone else's hand-me-downs" and their parents weren't available to bring clothes to the school.

Captain Underpants is a pot-bellied character who wears nothing but a toothy grin, red cape and tighty whiteys.

"I didn't know which superhero it was, not that it mattered," Restivo said. He pointed out that other students wore underwear on the outside, but on top of pants or shorts. That was acceptable.