Edmonson County family upset over school dress code

Amanda Durbin is a senior at Edmonson County High School. She said the dress she wore on Monday is something that's considered normal in her closet, but Friday the outfit got her in trouble at school.

"I felt like I was somebody that had done something wrong even though I know I hadn't."

According to the school, the dress code is the same as it's been for three years, but recently more attention is being turned to it.

"As of a teacher's meeting Wednesday afternoon, we've told the teacher's we need to be more consistent and we need to look at the dress code to make sure we're enforcing it," said Principal Tommy Hodges during a Monday interview.

Amanda said the length of her dress was tested by her getting on her knees and a ruler measured how far the floor was from the end of her dress.

"There were at least 30 to 40 or more girls that were either sent home or told they needed to change because they were out of dress code. Some of them were wearing the same thing I was wearing," said Durbin.

"If the gap between the floor and the garment is more than six inches it's out of dress code," said Hodges.

The principal added that multiple boys have been written up due to dress code violations. The school said jeans with holes showing skin is also an issue their talking to students about.

"I've had people saying that's something they would wear to church. If it's appropriate for you to go to church in, why isn't it appropriate for you to go to school in," said Amanda's mother, Alexandria.

"We're not a church, we're not a business, we're a school. It's where kids are learning and we're trying to educate them everyday. Whether the dress code is a little more strict or a little more relaxed, we're a different entity than everything that has been mentioned," said Principal Hodges.

The school system says the dress code is decided by the site base council and that they're open to discussing any changes the community feels are needed as long as it's done professionally.

Principal Tommy Hodges said the full dress code is in every student's hand book that's sent home and signed by parents at the beginning of each school year.