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Ceres High Student Says School's Prom Dress Code Goes Too Far

CERES (CBS13) — A Ceres High School student says a new prom dress code is unfairly targeting female students.

Prom tickets go on sale in two weeks, but students must first sign a prom contract agreeing to leave the prom if they are inappropriately dressed.

A dress last year almost got Nada Abdo kicked out of last year's prom.

"You can barely see through the black, but I was still told to cover up," she said.

Now students have to sign a prom contract outlining the dress code.

"We've been looking online, but a lot of the dresses conflict with the code. I don't know what to do, especially since I'm plus-sized," she said. "I have an even more narrow set of dresses that I can choose from."

Abdo says the dress code seems reasonable in print, but the rules are more strictly enforced by the activities director.

"There's an opening in the back. I couldn't wear it, because she said the opening was too big," she said.

Abdo says she brought her new prom dress to school to get it approved, but it was denied. She says the dress code for female students is much more strict than it is for male students.

"My parents are Arab American, so my parents are already very strict," she said. "So I feel if my parents will let me wear a dress, they shouldn't have any problem with it."

The school district says it hasn't heard of any student complaints and that individual schools can set their own dress codes. The district says she can appeal the policies with its child welfare coordinator.

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