Mark Frauenfelder, Dad And Boing Boing Founder: 'TSA Officer Humiliated My Daughter' (PHOTO) (UPDATE)

LOOK: Teen Was 'Shamed' By TSA Officer For This Outfit
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What's wrong with this picture? And whose business is it, anyway?

Those questions have had Boing Boing founder Mark Frauenfelder -- and others following his story -- scratching their heads since he tweeted and blogged about it on Sunday.

LAX #TSA officer humiliated my daughter, flying without us. Told her "You're only 15! Cover yourself up!" pic.twitter.com/u0HyhsDt28

— Mark Frauenfelder (@Frauenfelder) June 16, 2013

[Editor's note: Frauenfelder's original tweet has been deleted from his account as of June 19. A copy of the tweeted photo can still be viewed with his article on Boing Boing.]

The image shows Frauenfelder's 15-year-old daughter, who was allegedly "humiliated and shamed" for her outfit by a TSA official at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Frauenfelder wrote on Boing Boing that he hadn't witnessed the event himself -- his daughter was "on a college tour" with other high schoolers at the time -- but heard about it from her via text message.

"[S]he was at the station where the TSA checks IDs," he wrote. "She said the officer was 'glaring' at her and mumbling. She said, 'Excuse me?' and he said, 'You're only 15, COVER YOURSELF!' in a hostile tone."

According to a tweet from Boing Boing, two of the teen's friends also witnessed the incident.

Maureen Herman, former bassist from Babes in Toyland who is now executive director of Project Noise and a friend of Frauenfelder, wrote on a blog devoted to activism for women's reproductive rights:

This may not seem like a big deal. To Mark it’s a big deal. To his daughter it’s a big deal. To us, things like this need to matter, because they inject shame (or try to) in a young woman who is just living her life, going to check out colleges, and throws on the first of what will unfortunately be many layers of sexism she will encounter in her life.

Responding to followers on Twitter, Frauenfelder said the alleged comments "came as a shock" to his daughter, writing, "Many adults would also be stunned into silence by [the TSA officer's] creepy sexist abuse."

The incident is reminiscent of a story that went viral last year, involving a 14-year-old student, Ema Parker, who was brought to her school's front office for violating the dress code. As he related on his own blog and on HuffPost, Ema's father was called to the school, only to find an outfit that seemed completely appropriate to him.

Parker's situation was different. There were school rules involved -- but like Frauenfelder, Ema's dad questioned the motives of a principal who had pointed out the apparent problem with his daughter's skirt:

How could I be so blind as to have missed the fact that my daughter was dressed as a harlot, and presented a danger to all the boys in the school? ...

I began to think: "Luckily the school administration can look at her and see her as a provocative female," but then I thought... no... that is extremely creepy. I tried to think: "Luckily the school administration can look at her though the eyes of hormone-addled teenage boys to see her as provocative," but then I thought... no... that is weird-creepy.

Frauenfelder seems satisfied, after a meeting he and his wife had with the TSA, that "they are taking this seriously" so far (he says they have opened an investigation).

UPDATE: 6:30 p.m. -- The TSA gave the following official statement to The Huffington Post:

TSA officers are trained and expected to perform screening methods in a dignified and respectful manner at all times. We work to make our screening procedures as minimally invasive as possible while providing the highest level of security for the traveling public.

We regret that this passenger had an unpleasant experience and are in the process of thoroughly reviewing the circumstances.

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Before You Go

Weird Things Banned At Schools
Holding Hands(01 of20)
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A bill passed in Tennessee earlier this year declared hand-holding a 'gateway sexual activity,' with teachers facing firing for even demonstrating the action. (credit:Shutterstock)
Hugging(02 of20)
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Surprisingly, the ban on hugging isn't a one-off rule at a select school, but a trend that seems to be spreading. Schools in Portland and Florida started instituting these rules in 2010, while administrations in New Jersey, Brooklyn and New Zealand took it upon themselves in 2012. For all, the reasoning appears to be the same: Respecting personal space and "unsuitable interactions" between students. (credit:Shutterstock)
Red Ink(03 of20)
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At schools in both Australia and the U.K., green ink has replaced red ink in marking children's paper because of its 'confrontational' nature. (credit:ShutterStock)
Dodgeball(04 of20)
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Due to its "aggressive" nature, dodgeball has been banned in schools across North America, as it's frequently named the cause of injuries and fights. Adult dodgeball, on the other hand, has been enjoying a continued popularity. (credit:AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jason Franson)
Non-Motorized Transportation(05 of20)
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You'd think, with all the talk about childhood obesity these days, schools would be encouraging students to ride their bikes or skateboards to school. One New York said it was illegal for kids to have bikes, while another Orthodox school disagreed with the freedom afford by the two wheels. (credit:ShutterStock)
Bookbags(06 of20)
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There's plenty of debate about the best possible bookbag for kids -- but one school in Michigan doesn't allow bags into the classroom at all. Citing safety concerns in lunchrooms and classes, the high school asked students to keep returning to their lockers between classes to retrieve the appropriate books. (credit:ShutterStock)
Pogs(07 of20)
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There have been many toy bans in schools, but Pogs -- those tradeable metal disks -- made a huge splash when their safety, and the competitive rush spurred by their very existence, was called into question by schools around the world. (credit:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Flickr:" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5b9d4413e4b03a1dcc8618cb" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="18" data-vars-position-in-unit="37">Flickr:</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/ilovememphis/" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name=" ilovememphis" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5b9d4413e4b03a1dcc8618cb" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/people/ilovememphis/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="19" data-vars-position-in-unit="38"> ilovememphis</a>)
Bake Sales(08 of20)
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Though later overturned, a Massachusetts school attempted to ban bake sales on the basis of their lack of nutrition.
Black Makeup(09 of20)
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In Ohio earlier this year, a 13-year-old boy was sent home from school because of his black lipstick, eye makeup and nail polish (boy is not shown here). The school claimed it had a rule against "extreme or distracting" makeup. (credit:Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Yoga Pants(10 of20)
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An Ottawa school banned yoga pants last year -- unless the tight bottoms were covered up with long shirts.
Silly Bandz(11 of20)
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Silly Bandz are fun! Silly Bandz are cute! Silly Bandz are, apparently, a distraction in the classroom and should not be permitted. Schools all over North America have banned these collectables from class, but that sure doesn't keep them from getting trading at recess. (credit:JEAN-PIERRE MULLER/AFP/Getty Images)
Best Friends(12 of20)
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No more BFFs for you, British kids! At a few U.K. schools, teachers are preventing children from making "best friends" in an attempt to save others' feelings.
Milk(13 of20)
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Milk was always seen as part of a wholesome school lunch, but now a group of doctors wants it off the menu entirely. A vegan and physician group in the U.S. is pushing a petition to get rid of milk in schools, due to it being "...high in sugar, high in fat and high in animal protein that is harmful to, rather than protective of, bone health."
Dinosaurs(14 of20)
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Well, not dinosaurs exactly, but the word "dinosaur" on standardized tests, in addition to other words like "poverty," "birthdays," "Halloween," and "dancing," which might elicit "unpleasant emotions" in students. (credit:ShutterStock)
Ugg Boots(15 of20)
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It might get chilly in Pennsylvania, but students there won't be allowed to wear their sheepskin Ugg boots into class, thanks to the potential for storing contraband like cell phones in the roomy footwear. (credit:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Flickr:" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5b9d4413e4b03a1dcc8618cb" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="7" data-vars-position-in-unit="26">Flickr:</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/uggboy/" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name=" || UggBoy&#x2665;UggGirl || PHOTO || WORLD || TRAVEL ||" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="5b9d4413e4b03a1dcc8618cb" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.flickr.com/people/uggboy/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="8" data-vars-position-in-unit="27"> || UggBoy♥UggGirl || PHOTO || WORLD || TRAVEL ||</a>)
Baggy Pants(16 of20)
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You may have thought baggy pants were more of a '90s thing, but schools today are continuing to push for bans on the sagging pants, with some schools claiming it interferes with learning, and others saying the style is related to gangs.
Skinny Jeans(17 of20)
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And then there's the opposite end of the spectrum. Much like yoga pants, skinny jeans have been banned in schools all over the place, due to their lack of modesty and distraction factor for the opposite sex.
Winning(18 of20)
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It's physical and emotional injury teachers are attempting to avoid by banning competitive games in schools and at recess, goes the claim.
Balls(19 of20)
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A Toronto school made headlines last year when it was announced it would ban hard balls from its premises, following a parent suffering a concussion after being hit by a ball. (credit:Shutterstock)
Christmas(20 of20)
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Grinch, much? We've all heard of holiday trees and all-encompassing December concerts, but some schools have gone as far as banning references to Santa and carols, among other Christmas-oriented terms.

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