Students and parents had the chance to speak their peace on the topic of body piercings at the East Liverpool City School Board of Education Meeting Monday night.

About 20 students showed up to let the board know they think the piercing rules need to go.

Many of them say the body piercing ban isn’t being enforced.

“I figured if they would enforce it on everybody, I'd have no problem talking it out,” said senior John Alloway. “But I'm not going to do it until they do."

Alloway and his friend Kevin Alfred haven't been in school since Tuesday, and they said they were kicked out because they refused to take out their body piercings.

Alloway said they are being singled out.

“They're not enforcing it on everybody,” said Alloway. “They're just singling out me and my friends, because of the way we dress and look."

Principal Linda Henderson said she disagrees.

She said she is making sure everyone is abiding by the no body piercing rule.

“We try to do our very best,” said Henderson. “We try to pick up every student who has a piercing.”

Superintendent Ken Halbert Jr. gave out the school's handbook Monday night, which directly addresses body piercings.

The handbook states: “No body piercing jewelry other than earrings will be permitted to be worn."

The handbook also states: “Disciplinary actions will be taken with students not complying with the above restrictions."

Alloway said he'll just wait and see if the school's staff really will enforce those rules for everyone in the school.

Henderson said the staff will be keeping an eye out for anyone violating the dress code in the handbook.

Natalie Pasquarella, NEWS9