Brazil judge rules college must compensate student expelled for wearing mini-dress

Brazil college to pay for mini-dress expulsion

SAO PAULO — The private college that expelled a student who wore a short, pink dress to class has been ordered to pay her more than US$20,000 in compensation, a court announced Wednesday.

Judge Rodrigo Gorga Campos ordered Bandeirante University in Sao Bernardo do Campo to pay Geisy Arruda 40,000 reals ($23,800) in damages. His ruling was posted on the court’s website.

In expelling the tourism student late last year, the university said she disrespected “ethical principles, academic dignity and morality” by wearing provocative and “inadequate clothing.”

But one day later, amid a flood of negative reaction, the university backed down and rescinded the expulsion. Arruda, meanwhile, became a minor celebrity, dancing in Carnival parades, appearing on TV interview shows, launching her own line of clothing and taking part in a TV reality show.

Attorneys for Arruda and the university did not immediately return calls requesting comment.

The Folha de S.Paulo news service said Arruda’s lawyer Nehemias Melo praised the ruling but plans to appeal the amount awarded, saying his client wants 1 million reals ($595,240) in damages.

Arruda, now 21, became an Internet sensation after videos appeared showing her being chased from the campus of the university by male students yelling “Whore! Whore!” She had to be escorted away by police after wearing the mini-dress to class. She put on a professor’s white coat and left amid a hail of insults and curses.