High school boys wearing dresses to school get suspended for being a 'distraction'

It’s no secret that high schoolers are often pushing the boundaries of their school’s rules when it comes to pulling pranks, skipping classes, and even dressing in a way that challenges dress codes. For these two senior boys, however, testing the limits of their dress code might not have been their intention when they showed up to school wearing dresses. Yet the outfits, which were completely within Melissa High School‘s regulations, still got them in trouble with the principal.

Chris Swkyert, 17, and Rodney Dimasso, 18, both attend the public high school in Melissa, Texas, where they decided to wear dresses one day during their last month of classes. And although they thought that it was a pretty innocent act, it ended up landing them two days worth of in-school suspension.

“I just wore the dress because I wanted to,” Dimasso tells Yahoo Lifestyle of the black sleeveless dress he wore. “I was walking down the hallway and the principal told me to follow him. When I went into his office, he was asking me why I wore the dress, and I told him because I wanted to. He said it’s a distraction and told me I am going to have two days of in-school suspension.”

While in the principal’s office, the student attempted to argue his way out of the punishment, by pointing out that his wardrobe wasn’t actually breaking any of the school’s rules. In fact, the school’s dress code specifies that “Shorts and skirts must be no shorter than 3 inches above the knee on any side.” Dimasso ensures that his dress met that standard, and he was even wearing shorts underneath.

The student wasn’t provided an opportunity to change his clothing before receiving disciplinary action.

Both Dimasso and Swykert said that the incident caused a disruption at school, with other students becoming vocal about how they felt the punishment was unfair. It wasn’t until another student tweeted about it that it got even more attention.

Russell Young took to Twitter to share a video of the school’s principal escorting Swykert to his office. “Two male students at Melissa High School get two days of in school suspension for wearing dresses..” Young wrote. “That were in dress code! It’s 2018 y’all.”

The school’s dress code is not gender-specific, reading, “Students and parents/guardians may determine a student’s personal dress and grooming standards, provided that they comply with the following.” However, with this latest incident, students can’t help but question the school’s issue with the boys wearing dresses, and whether it was sexist or not.

In anticipation of the high school’s last day of school on Tuesday, the principal has yet to respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

? Teen boy wears crop top to make a point about sexist school dress codes
? The school’s flyer said ‘no exceptions’ to the rules, and some students were barred from graduation
? Man wearing makeup says bar denied him entry because ‘men need to dress like men’

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.