Haven Middle School in Evanston, Ill. recently took a stand against leggings. If a female student wears leggings, she must wear a shirt or skirt over them at least covering her upper thighs.

In another similar case, Rockport High School in Rockport, Mass. has banned leggings and has sent home over 20 young girls to change. It’s ridiculous to think that administrators are taking students out of a learning environment just because they don’t agree with the article of clothing they’re wearing.

Girls in middle school are already dealing with the onset of puberty and the recognition that their bodies are growing and changing. Now they have to worry about the consequences that come with expressing their style.

These new laws are outrageous. Half of my closet consists of leggings, not because they’re revealing but because they’re so comfortable. Not to mention they’re half the price of any pair of jeans.

While I do believe that some girls should double layer or wear longer shirts to cover their behinds, I don’t think it’s necessary to send a student home as punishment.

There are bigger issues in America’s educational system, and the fact that schools are paying this much attention to a minor dispute makes me question the school authorities’ priorities.

Veronica De La Cruz can be reached at [email protected] or @Veronica_dlc on Twitter.