28 students sent home for dress code violation

Some 28 students at Northside High School who thought violating the Beaufort County Schools’ dress code would make a good April Fool’s Day prank and apparent protest against the policy got more than they bargained for Friday.

Their principal, Donna Moore, didn’t think the stunt was funny, and, as a result, they were suspended from school for the day.

“A group showed up in jeans, knowingly in violation of the dress code,” said Sarah Hodges, public information officer for Beaufort County Schools.

The school system’s dress code specifies that pants, skirts, shorts, jumpers, dresses and the like be “solid tan khaki, solid navy blue or solid black.” The code specifies that “form-fitting spandex material, nylon, denim and sweat pants are prohibited.”

Andy Ramirez, 15, of Pinetown, a sophomore at Northside High School, telephoned the Washington Daily News about the event. He said some students planned the event via text messages, in part as an April Fool’s Day prank and, in part, as a protest against the dress code.

He said the participating students all wore shirts with collars and belts č as specified in the dress code č with their jeans.

He also said he was surprised the penalty for the 28 was as severe as it was and the caper warranted a suspension from school for the day.

Hodges said the group was lucky the penalty wasn’t worse.

Instead of being charged with a violation of the dress code, the students could have been charged with disruptive behavior, she said.

“This was considered a big disruption to the day,” she said.

The Beaufort County Schools’ Student Code of Conduct calls for the confiscation or covering of items in violation of the dress code and parent notification for a first offense. It calls for a one day in-school suspension for a second offense.

It also stipulates that any penalties “are discretionary and determined by the site principal.”

The penalty for disruptive behavior is up to 10 days suspension from school and possible recommendation for long-term suspension, according to the Student Code of Conduct.