Teenage girl sent home for violating school dress code - by showing her collarbones

Thousands have signed petition asking Kentucky school to change its clothing policy

Stephanie Dunn pictured in the school (Stacie Dunn, via Facebook)

Thousands have signed a petition started by a US mother left furious when her teenage daughter was sent home from school for exposing her collarbones.

Stacie Dunn’s daughter, Stephanie, was disciplined by the head teacher of Woodford County High School in Kentucky after wearing a top and cardigan that did not conform to rules.

Mrs Dunn, who was called in to the school after her daughter was sent home on 13 August, criticised the establishment in a Facebook post for its “ridiculous” dress code.

Posted by Stacie Dunn on Thursday, August 13, 2015

The school stipulates that pupils can only wear round-necked t-shirts, buttoned shirts, and skirts or shorts that reach the knee.

“Parents are being called away from their important jobs and students are missing important class time because they are showing their collarbones! Something needs to change,” she wrote.

Her post, originally intended for other parents of the high school, quickly attracted a huge amount of attention - with more than 45,000 people sharing the post.

Mrs Dunn’s Change.org petition, created on 14 August and asking the US high school to re-examine and change their clothing policy, has received almost 6,000 signatures to date.

The following day Mrs Dunn received a message from the head teacher of the school, who said he was willing to discuss changing the dress code.

Scott Hawkins, the school’s superintendent, said the dress code had been in place for more than 10 years, and that the school was open to suggestions from pupils and parents.

"The whole idea behind the dress code is to make sure you have a safe learning environment and that's what we're trying to create," he told US programme Today.

Subsequent posts by Mrs Dunn have revealed that the decision to alter the policy has gone before the school’s board and will be decided on 21 September.