School Bans Leggings: Does The Trend Distract Students?

A junior high school in California has changed its dress code by calling for a ban on leggings for girls, stating that the attire is distracting in the classroom.

"Leggings have become popular among girls and many are sheer," Emily Dunnagan, principal of Kenilworth Junior High in Petaluma, Calif., told ABCNews.com. "When girls bend in leggings the threads spread and that's really when it becomes a problem."

"This was a whole staff decision of everyone just wanting to make the school a distraction-free zone and allow kids to be kids," she added. "Part of becoming a teenager is expressing your individuality but we need to do that in a distraction-free way."

Dunnagan called an assembly for all the girls in the school to review the school's dress code policy -- an event that takes place each year as the weather changes. She advised the young girls, ages 12 to 14, to wear shorts, a skirt, or a dress over the leggings. The school also sent out an email and an automated phone call to inform all the parents.

The principal admitted that there was an initial backlash, but noted that only seven calls and emails were sent to administrators protesting the policy. They've only had four violations since the announcement, and the girls who committed the infractions received a typical dress code punishment: They were pulled out of class and given a new outfit entailing long gym shorts and/or a yellow "School is Cool" t-shirt.

"Our dress code is vague because as styles change the dress code needs to change," Dunnagan said.

In fact, Rockville High School in Rockville, Md., gained attention this week for punishing freshman Laura Woche for wearing a top with leggings that did not reach her fingertips. The school's dress code explicitly states that leggings are banned, reports local station WTOP. Woche was given the option to wear an over-sized sweater or to leave school, and her mother chose to pull her out of school for the entire week.

Last November, the principal of Minnetonka High School in Minnetonka, Minn., made headlines after sending an email to the parents of his students about leggings, according to ABC News.

"As the weather gets colder we have noticed a fashion trend with our young women," read Principal Dave Adney's email. "Many of them choose to wear leggings usually made of spandex or another form of tight fitting material. In past years this has not been a major problem since fashion norms called for a long sweatshirt, jersey or sweater to be worn in conjunction with the leggings. This fall another pattern has emerged and we are requesting parent support."

Adney's email concluded, "Some of our girls have chosen to wear t-shirts with the leggings, thus exposing more leg and backside area. This can be highly distracting for other students and I am asking your assistance. If your daughters choose to wear leggings or other tight fitting clothing please support our goal of keeping things covered up. We encourage students to dress modestly and this trend is definitely a move away from our general expectations."

That said, the school stated it simply wanted to encourage discourse regarding the topic of appropriate school attire and that no ban was in effect.

"There is no ban," said Janet Swiecichowski, the executive director for communications with Minnetonka Public Schools. "The email was intended to suggest to parents to talk to your teens about how they're dressing for school -- what you think is appropriate -- and that modesty is usually a good fall-back. When in doubt, go modest."