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Education

After Nipple Controversy, Florida School District Wants Dress-Code Change

Tiffany Tompkins
Braden River High student Lizzy Martinez was called to the office and told her breasts were distracting. She was asked why she wasn't wearing a bra and told to put band-aids over her nipples.

The School District of Manatee County will recommend a slight revision to its dress code after a high school student went to class without a bra and was then told to cover her nipples on April 2, according to a letter sent to the American Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday.

In a letter dated April 30, members of the ACLU accused district officials of allowing discriminatory enforcement of its dress code in violation of state and federal law. When school officials told 17-year-old Lizzy Martinez to put on a second shirt under her long-sleeve shirt, and then to cover her nipples with bandages, they were sexualizing her body and targeting girls more often than boys, the ACLU letter said.

"The alleged actions taken at the school level as contained in the letter are simply untrue and appear exaggerated and embellished for purposes of media sensationalism," according to Wednesday's letter from the district. Citing student privacy laws, the letter did not expand on what details are disputed.

Read more from our news partner, The Miami Herald.

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