It was a frustrating morning for parents in Rio Hondo.
Staff at the high school began enforcing a new dress code Tuesday, resulting in some 100 parents having to bring their kids a change of clothes or students enduring two weeks of in school suspension.
The new rules say students can't wear hooded sweatshirts or frayed jeans.
Parents believe the rules are too strict and were made too close to the start of school.
Some parents decided to take their children out of school Tuesday morning, after they say school administration called them saying their students were dressed inappropriately.
“She’s not showing cleavage,” said one parent to school officials, “She’s not showing butt, and she isn’t showing anything else.”
With tattered jeans and hooded sweatshirts in tow, parents and students headed to the school district administration building, asking for a reason why their students couldn't wear them.
The school district response: it's all in the handbook.
“We also went over the no torn or frayed jeans,” said Rio Hondo High School Principal Veronica Puente, “We went over the no sunglasses. We went over all these rules with them."
But parents say the rules were made at registration in August, after they'd done school shopping.
Others say they simply can't afford to buy new clothes for their children.
"This is last year's clothes,” said one parent, holding up a hooded sweatshirt, “She's wearing hand me downs. I have four kids, so they all share clothes. I can't be buying every time they decide to change."
Superintendent Anneliese McMinn decided jeans will now be judged on an individual basis.
“Obviously, if we have a big hole where underwear are going to show … that child can be sent home,” said McMinn.
But the school is hesitating to allow hoodies, saying drugs can be stored in them.
The students at the school district meeting were able to return to school before lunch in the same clothes they started the day with.
Parents say they feel a bit better but are afraid Rio Hondo Independent School District is overlooking the true purpose of school.
The school's superintendent says education and student safety are the district's top priorities.
She says a letter will be sent to parents once a decision is made on whether hoods will be allowed.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT