JCPenney's Girls Are Too Pretty For Homework T-Shirt Sends Worst Message Ever [UPDATE]

Update:
According to an email from JCPenney Corporate Communications sent to The Frisky, the shirt has been pulled.

Original Post:
Sometimes something is so wrong you can't believe it's real. Case in point: this JCPenney back-to-school shirt for "Girls 7-16." We're sure it's made of the finest "imported" fabric, but the message tears apart in the common sense wash. We can only assume this is from the chain's new Courtney Stodden line of girls wear.

A word of advice to all clothing manufacturers, designers and stores: please don't use your clothing to encourage young girls to value being cutesy-pies over smarty-pantses. That's kind of not what we're going for as a species.

Quick Poll

The "I'm Too Pretty To Do Homework" shirt:

Sends a dangerous message to young girls

Was probably made by young girls who don't earn a fair wage

Perpetuates the notion that it's better to be pretty than smart

Has the worst font choice ever

All of the above

Share your vote on Facebook so your friends can take this poll

Speaking of horrible ideas for children:

Comments

[Chad Sexington III]

10:31 PM on 09/15/2011

I'm a fan of the classics like "No Fat Chicks".

[laurasweet]

05:55 PM on 09/07/2011

Oh, please people. Have a sense of humor. Good thing none of these outraged folks have seen me wearing my "God Don't Like Ugly" t-shirt by Christopher Lee Sauve.

[scsywar]

06:32 PM on 09/04/2011

I don't see a big issue with this shirt, it's a bit tasteless yes but not controversial. I'd say if you wan't controversial shirts for young children/teens go to Wal-Mart or Target, I recently saw a shirt in the teens sections for girls that said "68" if you know what that means you too would not want your teen daughter wearing it. I'd prefer the tasteless joke over a sex themed shirt.

[kristiemaureen]

08:25 PM on 09/05/2011

It's not controversial to tell girls they should be pretty rather than smart, and that they need to have boys do their homework for them? I wouldn't call that a tasteless joke, I'd call that mysogyny. I wouldn't buy that shirt OR the "68" shirt you mentioned from the other store as neither carries a message I'd want my daughter internalizing or promulgating.

[PHSS]

07:17 PM on 09/07/2011

Maybe the "68" doesn't stand for anything sexual! There are many businesses that put the year they opened. If it is a Walmart brand, it could stand for the year the Walmart opened it's first store in a state other than Arkansas.

[scsywar]

11:36 PM on 09/17/2011

I guess it may be due to the era I grew up in, the term "68" was a sexual reference, almost the number just above 68, similar in meaning as well except it stands for you get me and I'll catch/get you later. I for one don't think it's a good shirt for a store like that, maybe a store like Spencers, not sure if it's a national franchise, where they have various items for those who should be of age even to see it.

[swmazul]

07:38 AM on 09/04/2011

What trash! And why don't we have more parents who refuse to buy stupid stuff for their children? This year I am teaching at a school that has a large international population of students. The parents are extremely motivated and have high expectations. They want the BEST education for their children. The children are wearing uniforms so there will not be any of this type of clothing in the classroom. Parents need to "parent" and stop trying to be their child's best friend. There is nothing wrong with saying "no" and maintaining high standards for your child and for yourself.

[livefree122560]

06:18 AM on 09/04/2011

what has happened to working smarter not harder. This is a "FREE" country (alleged) so just don't buy the shirt. Quite frankly censorship is a crime as well as supporting it should be! I bought 4 of these 1 for my daughter age 17 who wears the smaller size as a Mid-drift (OMG) 2 for my sons who are the real culprits and one for me to pass the word! I guess I failed :(...... by the way I dont think this sweat shirt is by any means a fashion statement, since I have a Docterates and my daughter is a honor student I guess our education system has failed (OMG)...get a life people and always LIVE FREE!

[Janice Geddes]

12:15 PM on 09/04/2011

I guess you're right, since you spelled doctorate wrong. (i guess your right, since you spelled docterate rong. Maybe that looks better to you.) You are way too defensive to be believable.

[mrwea]

07:20 AM on 09/05/2011

You spelled "wrong" wrong.

[anniewheelr]

10:07 PM on 09/03/2011

The problem is not the shirt but the girl that would want to wear it. The message is not the problem...because any girl that wears it already has had her head emptied and replaced by hair, makeup, clothes, and shopping concerns.
Yes, parents failed...but not by buying the shirt but by raising a daughter that would want to wear it.

[cinforpeace]

08:12 PM on 09/03/2011

Sounds like something that Veronica Lodge would wear if she had a brother. Oh well, just substitute boyfriend Archie Andrews, and their u have it. :-)

[kfwyatt]

04:10 PM on 09/03/2011

It's a shirt you have to BUY. Just don't BUY it.

[Andman0121]

08:26 AM on 09/03/2011

...so? According to the headline this is the worst piece of clothing EVER. Calm down about a thousand percent.

[Michele Rossi]

06:09 PM on 09/02/2011

Wow-- that's bad. How in the world did that get through? This insults young girls, boys, parents, teachers and all the people who love them-- it's the tee shirt that keeps taking! Boycott the store!

[Andman0121]

08:32 AM on 09/03/2011

lol really? The t-shirt is THAT bad to you is it? It is a T-SHIRT. If you honestly associate poor academic performance, self-esteem or social inequality on what t-shirts are saying then you have officially failed as a parent.

[scsywar]

06:39 PM on 09/04/2011

Agreed, if your son is so self centered and his esteem is so low this shirt offends him, you failed. On the note of teachers, if this shirt offends you and the shirts displaying sexual content or innuendo's does not, you have failed as a teacher and adult. Seriously, boycott an entire store over one shirt? why not boycott Target for their communist shirts a few years ago, or walmart for their sexual content on clothing for young girls. Be realistic, don't buy the item, if enough people don't buy it it will go away, no demand will lead to no supply.

[mrwea]

07:22 AM on 09/05/2011

Yes YOU boycott the store. You are so reactionary that they are better off without your business.

[Michele Rossi]

11:28 AM on 09/06/2011

You've decided "I'm so reactionary" based on one comment? I'd say that's fairly reactionary! As for others-- I didn't say it affected performance-- I said it's insulting-- as for boycotting-- that was half tongue in cheek-- but I DO boycott Walmart for their horrifying labor practices-- Wow-- I hit some button here! Interesting!

[Cherry Red]

03:18 PM on 09/02/2011

Look at all the people rushing to defend a sexist t-shirt by saying it's just a t-shirt. If a corporation does it, then it must be okay, right? It may be an attempt at humor, but that doesn't mean it's actually funny or sends an appropriate message. Thankfully, the several hundred people who signed the petition thought otherwise. JC Penney is already in trouble for its refusal to compensate the families of Bangledeshi workers killed in one of their sweatshops, probably making idiotic t-shirts like the one in the article: http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2011/09/01/jc-penney-walks-away/. And this is the same company who crowdsourced their new logo and got a student to do it for free.

[Andman0121]

08:39 AM on 09/03/2011

Yeah, it IS just a t-shirt. Cut the fake outrage and start blaming yourself and the rest of the other lazy parenting in our society for the anti-academic perception of our youth instead. If you directed just 1% of this fake outrage on real problems facing kids today then that would be infinitely better than this nonsense.

[Mar51]

08:27 PM on 09/03/2011

I hate the shirt, but you're absolutely correct. The same people who are outraged by this shirt allow their young girls to dress like they are out walking the streets to pick up business.

[TestPrepFUN]

11:50 AM on 09/02/2011

Maybe you like the idea of "Achievement Shopping" instead? That's what we do at the WELL DONE, ME! store attached to TestPrepFUN. One of our T-shirts has 3 dancing bears and says, "Winning with friends is FUN!" Our games teach basic skills. Our scoreboards show how hard kids are working. Last year, we had a "super smart monkey club" and friends won a little monkey if they both won 50 games in a week. Don't mean to be a heartless self-promoter, just sharing a different approach.

[sangria82]

11:13 AM on 09/02/2011

Never thought I'd admit this, but I miss those halcyon days of "Girlz Rock" and "Girl Power!" I always thought they were cheesy and cliche, but this new stuff is way worse!

[encycloman]

08:54 AM on 09/02/2011

This must be a really slow day for HuffPo. And there MUST be someone who gets really edgy about her feminine side.

[Jack Wayne]

10:22 PM on 09/01/2011

Is this article a joke? There's nothing wrong with that shirt. If my daughters were stupid enough to equate being pretty with not needing to be intelligent, their problems go far beyond anything a T-shirt's capable of causing. It's actually one of the funnier things I've seen. I'd get it for my kids.