Boy told to take off Frozen princess costume by school on 'Disney day'

'It is not okay for boys to dress like girls or girls to dress like boys'

13-year-old Austin Lacey got in trouble at school for dressing up like Frozen's Princess Elsa (Facebook)

A California school has come under fire for forcing a 13-year-old student to remove his Princess Elsa costume on a 'dress up like a Disney character' day.

Austin Lacey turned up to Ethan Chase Middle School in the bright blue dress famously worn by Princess Elsa in the popular film Frozen.

He told KTLA: "I wore it for fun because I'm just one of those people. I like to go all out."

A middle school student who dressed as Elsa from the movie “Frozen” was forced to change and had his costume confiscated...

Posted by KTLA 5 News on Friday, February 5, 2016

The costume was apparently pretty popular with his fellow students, with many asking to take selfies with him.

According to the school, Lacey was ordered to take off the costume because it was distracting the other students — but Lacey's mother said another reason was given altogether.

In a Facebook post, Brooke Francev said she was told by the school principal that "it is not okay for boys to dress like girls or girls to dress like boys."

She also reported that other students were upset by the decision, sharing pictures of a flyer she said was made by Lacey's classmates, promoting a week of cross-dressing in solidarity with the LGBT community.

The Romoland School District, however, has challenged the story, with Superintendent Julie Vitale issuing a statement.

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"At no time was there any indication that the student was expressing any particular message," Vitale said. "The Principal's action was based upon the need to stop a general disruption to the school environment."

The school itself and the principal have so far declined to comment.