E-Learning Students In Springfield: No Pajamas Allowed, And Get Out Of Bed!

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Parents know all too well how it can be a challenge to get kids out of bed and dressed for school in the morning. And, for e-learners in Downstate Springfield, that is no exception.

According to the District 186 handbook, students opting for e-learning cannot wear pajamas and should be out of bed, preferably at a desk, when they log into their classes.  The no pajama rule is part of the school's in-person dress code.

That PJ rule didn't sit well with Elizabeth Ballinger, who told WCIA-TV: "I made the decision for my kids to be at home, and I don't really see how any district can come in and say what my kid can't wear in my house."

Roughly 14,000 students attend Springfield schools. Classes start Aug. 31 with a combination of online and in-person classes.

School officials said they don't intend for the rules to be punitive when it comes to what e-learning students wear, particularly during a pandemic.

"If there is a specific concern as it relates to dress code, we will address it individually with the student and their family," district spokeswoman Bree Hankins said in a statement.

Contributing: The Associated Press