Facial piercings have become popular among students.

“I have a nose stud,” senior Imani McGarrell said. “I got my piercing over spring break last year and only one teacher has ever said anything.”

The dress code allows facial piercings as long as they are skin colored or filled with a spacer.

“In the student code of conduct it says that no facial piercings are allowed in any places other than the ear,” Gamma House principal Michael Bennett said. “They can have a spacer if they take care of it in a timely manner.”

Some teachers and students do not approve of facial piercings.

“Compared to other campus’ dress code policies, we’re pretty lenient,” Mr. Bennett said. “The main reason they aren’t allowed is that they can be distracting.”

However many students do not have a problem with them.

“I see people with facial piercings all the time and it doesn’t bother me,” junior Molly Coryell said. “I definitely don’t think that they’re distracting. If you’re simple-minded enough to be distracted by a facial piercing than it’s not the person with the piercing’s problem.”

Gauges have also become popular and are not acknowledged in the dress code.

“I started gauging my ears in April,” senior Patrick Smith said. “I got them because I thought they looked cool. I haven’t been called out by an administrator.”

If a student repeatedly violates the facial piercing policy, administrators say consequences will be implemented.

“The first time I catch a student with a facial piercing, I’d give them a warning,” Mr. Bennett said. “I’d give the student an opportunity to correct themselves. After that, the punishment would be detention or Friday night school.”

by Kayla Crowley 

photos by Elliot Parkman and Eric Espinosa