High school outlaws yoga pants and leggings [UPDATED]

Charlene Sakoda

A recently enforced ban on yoga pants and leggings by a high school in Rockport, Massachusetts, has some students and parents saying the policy goes too far. Rockport High School’s dress code states that students are not to wear the offending pants however, students say the policy was not enforced until recently.

After school faculty expressed concern that students were not following the dress code, the principal took the opportunity during an assembly last week, to remind the kids about the policy.

20 female students protested by wearing the body hugging pants on Friday. They were sent home and told to change their clothes and some received a write up, warning them not to wear the outlawed pants to school. Thomas Boucher a sophomore at Rockport high told WFXT Fox 25, “Taking kids out of classes, missing school work and time to learn just because of material clothing does not make sense at all.”

"It's called attention to something that no one even thought about," said senior Aidan Wright to the station. The administration seems to disagree, saying that the ban is in place because the form fitting pants are “distracting” and not acceptable in the classroom environment. Wright responded telling WHDH 7, "I don't appreciate having to be responsible for a boy paying attention or even being told that it's my responsibility to not distract someone with my body. I don't like being objectified in that way." Parent Janine Boucher agrees, "I just think it's absolutely ridiculous. There's no reason for this to have been blown out of proportion. This is crazy, these poor kids."

According to the Superintendent of Rockport Public Schools, Rockport High’s principal will be reviewing the dress code along with a newly formed committee.

Videos and more info: WFXT, WHDH

UPDATE February 12, 2014 9:23 AM PST:

The Eagle Tribune reported that school officials have decided that they will not strictly enforce the ban on yoga pants and leggings. The relaxation in enforcement will continue until the new dress code review committee, "made up of parents, administrators, students, teachers and School Committee members," makes suggestions to modifiy the dress code policy.