SC principal apologizes for telling students they 'look fat' in leggings

GOOSE CREEK, South Carolina -- The principal at Stratford High School is now apologizing after students claim she body shamed them by saying they "looked fat in leggings."

In a statement distributed by the Berkeley County School District, Stratford Principal Heather Taylor said she has met with students to address a comment she made during a 10th-grade assembly on Tuesday and to assure the students she is "one of their biggest fans and invested in their success."

Taylor claims she didn't mean to "hurt or offend" any students with controversial comments she reportedly made.

Even though she did not specify what she said, multiple social media posts and an audio recording provided to ABC11's sister station WCIV, indicate Taylor said girls "look fat" in leggings unless they're a size zero or size two.

In the recording, a woman alleged to be Taylor stresses to female students that leggings are not meant to be worn as pants alone and that they "show everything" when worn that way, WCIV reports.

"(Leggings are) meant to wear underneath a long shirt that covers your heiny, or a long sweater of some type, or a dress," said the woman in the recording. "It is not meant to be your actual pants, and if you have a shirt that comes to here, then you are showing everything. Yes, everything."

The woman then went on a tangent about how leggings do not look flattering on girls above certain sizes.

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"The sad thing is with that, ladies - if someone has not told you this before, I'm going to tell you this now - unless you are a size zero or a two, and you wear something like that, even though you are not fat, you look fat," the woman, reportedly Taylor, said in the recording.

Below is the statement Taylor made about this incident:

"Yesterday and this morning, I met with each class of the Stratford High School student body. I addressed a comment made during a 10th grade assembly and shared from my heart that my intention was not to hurt or offend any of my students in any way. I assured them all that I am one of their biggest fans and invested in their success. After speaking with our students and receiving their support, I am confident that, together, we are ready to move forward and have a wonderful year. Stratford High is a very caring community, and I want to thank all of our parents and students who have offered their support to me and provided me with an opportunity to directly address their concern. I am very proud to be a Stratford Knight."

For more information, view WCIV's article.