How Far Should Schools Go With Their Dress Codes? Pushing the limits on style and self-expression is a rite of passage for teens and even younger kids. How far should schools go with their dress codes? The courts have sided with schools in an era when school safety... Dozens of students turned away from homecoming dance because dresses were 'inappropriate'... including a floor-length gown that showed too much BACK! Parents have hit out at a high school's 'ridiculous' dress code after dozens of girls were turned away from their homecoming dance. Some arrived at Bingham High School in South Jordan, Utah, wearing floor-length gowns, others in high-necked ensembles. But one by one, around 24 girls were forced to sit in a line for inspection - before being ordered to leave. They are now calling on the high school to apologize, sending in pictures of their gowns and asking teachers to analyze why they are inappropriate. One of the girls who was turned away on Saturday, Erika Shepherd, arrived in a floor-length dress. She told Fox 13: 'They pulled me to the side and asked me to twirl around to see if I was immodest, then made me sit against the wall.' 'And while I was sitting against the wall there was about ten other girls that were sitting there being embarrassed.' Eventually, a teacher told her 'it's too low in the back' and that she 'needed to get a jacket or go home and change clothes'. Her classmate Taylor Gillespie was also sent home in her knee-length purple halter-neck dress. Taylor had made sure her dress did not come up past mid-thigh when she sat down - one of the school's strict rules. But when she arrived, teachers would not let her in. 'They just took a wild guess and said, 'You're not admitted in.'' Her father Chad Perhson told Fox 13: 'I asked them why they turned her away and then showed them a picture of her on the phone I'd taken myself of her sitting down where the dress meets her knees.' The school has rebuffed criticism, claiming its guidelines are clearly stated on the website. The code, posted online, reads: 'Dresses should cover chest and back at the top of the armpit and should be secure and stay in position. 'Hemlines should go no higher than the mid-thigh when seated. 'Boys should be in collared shirts and no jeans. 'Behaviour/dancing should be safe and appropriate. 'Students who fail to follow these guidelines will be not admitted or removed from the dance.' However, the students and their parents insist they were singled out for no reason while other students were allowed to go in. Maddi Rowley, another student upset by the situation, told Fox 13: 'Other girls were admitted into the dance wearing my same dress in different colors. I was in high heals (sic), as you can see, and I am a taller girl. 'I am very angry, especially because my date couldn't get his money refunded. Surely you can understand the injustice. I'm nearly an adult, and my parents allowed me to go out in this dress.' The incident comes two years after nearby Stansbury High barred dozens of girls from the homecoming dance for wearing dresses that were 'too short'. However, days later, the principal issued an apology.

• published: 23 Sep 2014
• views: 20