Pupil devastated after his Christmas outfit was banned by "Grinch" teachers
A sixth-form pupil is devastated after his snazzy Christmas suits were BANNED by his "Grinch" teachers who said they were not appropriate for school.
George Johnson, 17, is in Year 12, where male pupils are allowed to wear suits to school instead of uniform.
He bought three £65-each festive two-pieces - featuring Christmas trees, snowflakes, reindeer and snowmen - and started wearing them this week.
But he said his head of year at The Hemel Hempstead School warned him he would be sent home if he didn't stop wearing the jolly threads.
Rebel George said his festive cheer will not be quashed - and has vowed to keep wearing the red, green, and blue suits regardless.
He's started a petition - backed by his local councillor - but the school remains unmoved, and said he can only wear the suits at two school charity events.
George, from Hemel Hempstead, Herts., said: "I felt that my head of year was being a bit of a Grinch, to be really honest.
"My Christmas suits are not that distracting, they're not about seeking attention - if people want to put their attention on me, that's their decision!
"I'm not even sure I could be said to be breaking school rules - because they're actually business suits, which are allowed.
"They're certainly not inappropriate - it's December-time! What do you expect?!
"It's all about spreading Christmas cheer, that Christmas sort of feeling you get when people are that bit nicer to each other!
"Christmas is probably my favourite time of year, it's very important to me!
"They're not that outrageous, they're joyful and triumphant!"
Part-time gymnastics coach George bought the red, green, and blue suits for £65 each from online retailer Amazon, and started wearing them on Monday.
He was hauled into a meeting by a teacher on Wednesday and warned to stop wearing them, he claims.
His mum-of-four Sophie, 41, said that she's been "encouraging George to go to school in his suits" and called his head of year Paul Bryson "a Scrooge".
Sophie, who sells school uniforms for a living, added: "You think of all the more important things schools have to deal with - what's the matter with them?!
"I told his teacher that he was being a right old Grinch!
"It's just a bit of fun - we all love his suits, so we think he should wear them anyway!
"George has the confidence, the nerve, to go into school, put himself in the spotlight, and make people smile and laugh.
"We're all so proud of him, we're really rooting for him!"
George launched a petition calling on his school to allow all sixth-form students to wear festive suits at Christmastime, and has 150 signatures.
The petition states: "As our school rules state that the final decision as to what constitutes inappropriate dress lies with SLT [the Sixth Form Leadership Team], we would appreciate supporting this petition in order to show our school that despite the eccentricity of the suit, we hope they allow him to continue to wear it."
George's petition was shared by councillor Jan Maddern, who posted to Facebook: "This is George. George is an utter legend.
"He's got some fabulous Christmas suits that are really smart, but Hemel School have told him he can't wear them... this is a great shame, it's not like he wants to wear jeans."
Responding to George's criticisms and his online petition, headteacher Neil Hassell said "there's been some kind of confusion".
He said George could wear his Christmas suits on the school's two charity events - Mistletoe Day and Christmas Jumper Day.
He said: "George was told that he could wear his Christmas suits on those days [school charity days], but that it was absolutely not OK to wear his Christmas suits any other time during school in December.
"George is a very flamboyant person who wears brightly-coloured suits around school anyway - he can wear Christmas clothes during the school's charity events this month, but he can't wear anything other than normal any other time."
According to the Sixth-Form Code on the school's website, sixth-form pupils should wear clothes "appropriate to the school working environment".
It added students may be sent home if they fail "to comply with these requirements".
