A young cancer survivor from Iowa is looking to change her school's dress code after she was punished for wearing a hat after losing her hair due to chemotherapy. Chloe Terpenning, 15, is petitioning West Burlington High School to allow head gears for the sake of current and future students diagnosed with cancer.
Terpenning was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin's Lymphoma on March 2 and had to undergo chemotherapy. The freshman completed her treatments back on July 5. According to the petition she wrote on thepetitionsite.com, she had to go through bullying because of hair loss. Terpenning also stated that when she transferred to West Burlington, she and her mother were told that she cannot wear a hat despite her condition.
Terpenning used to wear a wig but decided to change it to a head gear due to headaches. On Dec. 1, Terpenning wore a hoodie and kept the hood halfway up. The young girl was then sent home and was told, "I do not care about your comfort, it's school policy."
On Dec. 6, she wore a beanie specially made for cancer patients. She narrated in her petition that she never got to class and was halted by Principal Bruce Snodgrass and was then sent to his office for the rest of the day.
In an interview, Terpenning said, "In the office, it is a very small room and I don't get any lessons in there. And the door's wide open, so anyone who walks by can see me sitting in there." Terpenning's mother, Candice Osslund, told the publication, "I get where the school's coming from. They've got policy in place, but there's got to be a gray area in there. Of course I think she looks gorgeous with her natural hair..."
Terpenning's petition already received over 200 signatures of a hard copy, and her online petition continues to generate support from others. Terpenning and Osslund will also meet with Superintendent David Schmitt to discuss her petition.
