Petaluma, California school Kenilworth Junior High has banned all students from donning leggings to class, saying that it has become a "distraction" for boys, principal Emily Dunnagan told ABC News.
"Leggings have become popular among girls and many are sheer," Dunnagan said. "When girls bend in leggings the threads spread and that's really when it becomes a problem."
Dunnagan called a girls-only assembly, telling the 12-14 year old group of young students that they must wear a "school appropriate length bottom" over leggings.
Tight pants of any kind were initially included in the forbidden slacks criteria. After pupils informed their parents of this tweaking of the dress code, the school was hit with some serious backlash.
Parents said the issue shouldn't be concerning the leggings themselves; girls should not have to abide by a misplaced rule that applies to only them.
"Boys need to be taught to respect women no matter what they're wearing, and that's a big deal," local parent Jerelyn Kruljac told Bay Area news station KTVU.
"We didn't think it was fair how we have all these restrictions on our clothing while boys didn't have to sit through it at all," said one female student.
In response to the outcry, the school has lifted part of the ban: girls are still allowed to wear yoga pants and skinny jeans, but the leggings rule still stands.
Koa Beck, writer on Mommyish, commented on the band-aid aspect of the new rule.
"Boys should learn young that the answer to their inability to prioritize school work shouldn't be 'cover up the ladies!'" she wrote.
Still, some are in favor of the new rule.
Minnetonka Principal Dave Adney told The Christian Post that they are just seeing too much, and modesty should be a natural virtue for these ladies.
"Cover your butts up," he said. "I'm just going to say it straight up."
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