Check that dress: students at one North Texas high school have to pass a visual inspection before they can go to prom.
Melissa High School in Collin County has had the policy in place for the past four or five years, "(w)ith a few minor tweaks here and there," said principal Kenneth Wooten in an email to NBC 5.
"With modesty in mind," the school's websites states, the following dress code guidelines are recommended for the Melissa High School prom:
- Dresses should not be cut too low in the front or the back.
- Two pieces are allowed; however, if midriff is shown, there should be no more than three inches visible.
- Hemlines or slits in dresses should be no more than five inches above the knee.
- Dress shoes or dress boots preferred. No slippers or flip-flops.
And "all ladies dresses should be approved by Coach Dotson" before prom, the school's guidelines say.
"I had never heard of it before," said Melissa High School parent Sue Heslink.
Heslink said she saw the policy online and thought it was "fabulous."
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"Girls are growing up too fast in my opinion. I think they need to be girls and young ladies before they actually try to become a woman," Heslink said.
In the email, Wooten said, "The idea is to have a proactive discussion with student(s) and parents about the dress code rather than waiting till the night of prom."
Girls can either go see the female coach in person or send her a picture of them wearing their dress to get approval.
