Bolivar Central High School takes dress code infractions seriously when it comes to indecent exposure. What exactly constitutes indecent exposure though and does the high school have the authority to jail a student over a dress infraction? Action News 5 has made several attempts to speak with administration on the events that occurred that ended in the incarceration of Antonio Ammons. Action News 5 made calls to Jeff Barnes who is the principal of Bolivar High School as well as General Sessions Judge Boyette Denton. No phone calls have been returned in regards to this matter. Bolivar Central High School is located in Tennessee and state law does not dictate minor dress infractions such as saggy pants as indecent exposure. School dress codes should be enforced and in the case of Antonio Ammons and four others there is no doubt that some form of action needed to be taken.
The campus police took enforcing the rules to the next level when they arrested Ammons and one other student for excessively saggy pants. Two other students were also reprimanded for their dress code violations. School resource officers pointed out that these dress code violations have happened numerous times and the students in question were warned to comply with the school dress code guidelines. Antonio Ammons did post a picture on social media that depicted what he was wearing at the time of his arrest. Ammons had on pants that were covering gym shorts and underwear. His pants were sagging drastically and his gym shorts and underwear were slightly exposed. His pants also were accessorized with a belt and the belt was fastened in a manner to keep the pants from being properly pulled up. A simple adjustment of the pants and belt would have prevented the actions that proceeded. Many students and parents agreed that the sagging pants are becoming an issue among the student body but the arrest seemed a bit excessive. Ammons now has over $250 in court fees and had to spend over 48 hours locked in a jail cell at Hardeman County Criminal Justice Complex with other inmates.
School resource officer Charles Woods said that the sagging pants have happened more than once and Ammons had the opportunity to dress according to the dress code; he chose to not follow those guidelines. Students and parents agreed the crime did not fit the time and one parent, Crystal Wing, admitted that the jail time was excessive for the dress code violation. She agreed that something needed to be done but being detained was a bit of an over reach. A student, Cheyenne Lindsey, also agreed with the parental opinion and said the punishment was harsh even though something needed to be done about the saggy pants.
