Would you consider these ladies' outfits "inappropriate?"
Some students who just received their yearbook at a Florida high school were not too happy with their image. But this wasn't just a case of a bad hair day or not liking the angle of their photo. It turns out, Bartram Trail High School edited the images of dozens of students - all females. And the reason for the digital altering? To make the girls appear more modest.
Parents and students complained about the editing, which was done without their knowledge, and the students say it was unnecessary and unfair.
The photos were edited to cover parts of the students' chest and shoulders, and students like freshman Riley O'Keefe were shocked to find their yearbook photos had been changed. "There's a black box over my chest, and the cardigan on the side is like moved over, and it looks really awkward, and I was very confused," she says.
The St. Johns County School District says changes were made to photos considered in violation of the dress code. They explain that the school's previous procedure was to leave pictures out of the yearbook that they considered in violation of the student code of conduct. Hence, these digital alterations were "a solution to make sure all students were included in the yearbook."
There's even a disclaimer on the school's website that warns students their photos could be altered if they violate dress code policy.
The school offered a refund for the $100 yearbook cost to anyone taking issue with the edits.