A school retrieves photos of many graduates

Many students and families were outraged after Florida High School retouched photographs from their graduation albums.

When young Riley O’Keefe received the pictures, she smiled before getting angry at first.

A ninth grade (secondary 3) student at Bartram Trail School in St. John’s could not believe his end of year photo had changed.

Instead of her short neckline, she added a wide black belt to school photoshop.

“It’s not just a story of retouching photos (…) it’s a way of telling us that our bodies are not acceptable for our albums,” she said in an interview with CNN.

The teenager said she wore the same outfit all day and no members of management commented on her.

“I’m talking because I do not think other girls can talk,” Riley added.

“I thought it was good that day, and I did not break the dress code. But when I sent the edited photos to our saleswoman, I felt sexual. If all this was important to the school,” said another student, Joe Ionon.

The school board said in a statement that it had done so to include all students in the scrapbooks.

“Previously, Bartram Trail High School did not include students who violated the dress code in graduation books,” we read.

“This year, amendments have been made to ensure that all students are included in the book.”

The school offered to reimburse parents for the cost of the photos, but many parents apologized to the school.

“They feel bad about who they are as children,” said one mother.