International College back to the days of strict missionaries

BEIRUT - Moussa Fneish

Leading Lebanese school the International College (IC) took radical measures with the beginning of this academic year that certainly affected its student behavior. IC implemented a strict dress code thus curbing a school where catwalk and fashion are as popular as academic and other kinds of student activity.

But by the times these lines went to print, news from IC reported that the school’s administration decided to loosen its newly drafted rules.

“Over the past years, students and some teachers came to school in extremely revealing clothes,” said a faculty member who insisted to be unnamed. “The whole student body’s behavior was not conforming with the society’s norm and that’s why the administration decided to limit students’ freedom of clothing as they have always been since the school abandoned its missionary role almost a century ago.”

But an IC student who graduated last year and identified himself as Mohammed only said that something “big happened” which prompted the administration to take strict measures.

“But liberal principles and freedom of students have been at the core of IC’s principles,” Mohammed added. He also said that he believed such rules would not hold for long. “It is a reaction and everyone knows that you cannot change the Lebanese clothing culture through a couple of rules in IC.”

He argued that if the administration suddenly decided to control student ethics, “forcing students to wear more clothing,” it would lead to nowhere. “It’s the culture and in IC’s case, students are living in perhaps one of the most Americanized spots in the region,” said Mohammed.