It's all about the jeans

Some parents were outraged earlier this week when about 20 students were sent to the office at Brooksville Elementary School after their parents dressed them in jeans to stay warmer - a violation of the school dress code.

Shavone Hall, whose daughter is in third-grade at the school, said she assumed Monday morning that jeans would be allowed that day, since children were allowed to wear jeans the previous week when temperatures were similarly low.

Instead, she said her daughter was in the office among others given a choice - either their parents bring them dress pants to wear or receive a demerit.

"They can receive up to three demerits before they're really punished, but she'd be so upset," Hall said. "I understand the school's point, but I don't think these kids should all be sent to the office and threatened with demerits. Parents are just trying to keep them warm and last week they allowed the kids to wear jeans and now it's even colder."

Principal Mary LeDoux said she's beginning to regret deviating from the dress code to allow jeans. She said students were first allowed to do so last year when students were coming to school wearing shorts during one of the coldest winters in Florida.

Keeping in mind that many families were hit hard by the recession, she said the school began announcing days when children could wear jeans so that parents had an alternative to keep their children warm.

Now, however, LeDoux said the practice is getting out of hand. Along with talking to upset parents Monday, she and other school staff members spend time watching the weather forecast to make almost daily determinations to parents whether jeans will be allowed the next day. They communicate through e-mail and notes sent home with children.

She said she determines if jeans will be allowed the next day based on how long temperatures are slated to stay below 35 degrees.

Officials are also considering using the district's telephone messaging system to send automated messages to parents whether the next school day will be a jean or non-jean day.

"That's the problem when you break your own rules. It's becoming a lot of work," LeDoux said. "Some parents just call the school to check, but now we're seeing others just assume without being sure. At that point, you might as well just throw the dress code out the window."

LeDoux said she doesn't want parents to have to run out to buy new pants and realizes that times are hard in Hernando County. However, she said parents should prepare for having both pants and shorts for their children.

And like other uniform schools, she said she's seeking donations to help families provide long pants.

Meanwhile, Hall said she believes school officials overreacted and should make amends with parents.

"I think they should apologize," Hall said. "I don't think a kid should get a demerit because their parent couldn't come back to the school to give them pants - especially when all parents are trying to do is dress them to keep them warm."