COAL TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Outside Shamokin Area Junior/Senior High School, a group of students stood in protest.
Many wore jeans or pants with rips and tears, all of which are against the district dress code.
"I think we should fight for what we don't want because it's kind of sickening how they take us away from our education to go sit in this room all day,” said student Chelsea Poplaskie.
Some said they are disciplined often for dress code violations, made to sit in a room separate from other students.
"For the last two weeks since we started school, I've been dress coded almost every day since,” said student Jasmine Kleman.
School officials in the Shamokin Area School District say there have been more dress code violations and so they created a video about the policy.
That 54-second video created controversy. Some say it targeted female students by banning tight-fitting clothing or pants and jegging material.
The district's policy also bans baggy clothes and spandex. No vulgar writing is allowed on clothing either.
"We're getting sick of getting shamed for our body shape and form. Boys are dressed like the jogger khakis and nothing happens. They're baggy all the way to their boxers. If we wear form-fitting or too baggy of clothes, they yell at us and dress code us,” said Brianna Pancher.
"Some people can't afford clothes. My aunt can't afford them that much. I sometimes have to wash my clothes every day just to wear them. I'm taking part in the protests so I can wear my regular clothes,” said student Jordyn Smith-Stephens.
Protesters we spoke with say they will continue to protest all this week, hoping their voices will be heard.
Shamokin Area School District officials tell Newswatch 16 they invited the protesters inside to talk about their concerns. They also say the dress code has been in effect for years and no changes were made this year.