High school senior Shafer Rupard 'told to leave prom because she was wearing trousers'

She had been at the event for a few minutes when a teacher told her to leave

A teenager was reportedly told to leave her high school prom in the US state of North Carolina because she was wearing a pair of trousers.

Shafer Rupard and her friends attended the prom at Cherryville Golf and County Club on Saturday 20 April, for which Rupard chose to wear a pair of red jeans, a black shirt, a snackback hat, and a leather jacket.

Rupard had been on the dance floor at the event for a few minutes, when she was allegedly approached by a teacher and asked to leave.

As the senior prom takes place in the last year of a student’s compulsory education in the US, the occasion is regarded as culturally significant for teenagers.

“In a way it's kind of a slap in the face," Shafer Rupard told WBTV.

"The teacher tapped me on the shoulder and said she had a problem with what I was wearing," added Rupard.

"I thought it was because of the hat or the leather jacket and I was like well I'll take those off and she was like no, it's the pants," she said.

Pants Rupard's mother, Shawn McQuaige, told the broadcaster: “[Rupard] wanted to feel comfortable in her own skin,” said McQuaige.

“We want to put out the message to all teenagers that you should be allowed to be yourself,” said her mother.

She added that the school’s code of conduct does not say that the institution has a prom dress code.

McQuaige emailed the school’s principal, and also showed the school’s deputy head teacher the code of conduct and the invitation to the prom.

“[The deputy headteacer] looked at it with me and she said you know what you're right there is no dress code here,” said McQuaige, but added that her daughter was yet to receive a response from the school.

The broadcaster was unable to contact the school as administration are on Spring Break.