A parent of two young girls, who both attend Lafayette High, is upset that her daughters were sent home from school today because they were in violation of the school uniform policy. 

The parent says that she received a phone call from the Assistant Principal at the school stating that she needed to pick up her daughters from school because their shorts were too short and were in violation of school policy.

She notes that in the LPSS school handbook, skirts, skorts, and jumpers must not be shorter than 4'' above the knee. The parent tells us that she measured her daughter's shorts and that they were in compliance with the rule. However, the LHS regulations differ from the LPSS regulations and state that the shorts can be no longer than knee level nor shorter than knee level.

The LHS uniform guidelines were distributed as part of student orientation around two weeks prior to the start of the school year as part of the student agendas distributed during that time.

The LHS agenda supercedes the LPSS regulations, but according to students, the uniform regulations were not strictly enforced in prior years. A reminder regarding the uniform policy was relayed to students during the first week of school. This message was also relayed to parents via an automated phone call.

Parents tell me that they received the phone call after uniforms had been purchased, and that the phone call was placed after the first day of school.

UPDATE: The Principal at Lafayette High School, Dr. Thornton, did reach out to us to explain the situation. He informed us that all students, last week, were instructed on the proper dress code for the school and that the school would make exceptions for students in violation of the policy, for the first few days.

Dr. Thornton further explained that the district has it's own set of guidelines for the uniform, while the school itself can set it's own set of rules concerning the dress code. Again, he reiterated that all students were aware of the policy, that is shorts must be reach the knees. Dr. Thornton tells us that the dress code at L.H.S. has not changed in years.

Dr, Thornton has explained the issue to the parent that contacted us and will allow the girls to wear the shorts they have on in the picture. No student was "sent home," according to Dr. Thornton. All students that were in violation of the dress code were encouraged to change and stay at school. If anyone from the school contacted the parents to pick up their kids because of a dress code violation today, Dr. Thornton said he was not aware of it, but would be looking into the matter.

Below is a photo copy of the DISTRICT handbook, which was submitted by the parent, outlining the school's uniform policy prior to the start of the school year. This does NOT reflect the policy of L.H.S.

Photo Submitted By Parent
Photo Submitted By Parent
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