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'You've made them even more of a target': 83 high school girls have photos digitally altered to cover chest in St. Johns County yearbook

Students and parents say it's part of a larger dress code controversy in the county that disproportionately targets female students.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Seventeen freshmen, 28 sophomores and 38 juniors.

In total, First Coast News counted 83 young ladies who had their yearbook photo digitally altered to conceal their chests in St. Johns County.

Parents have expressed outrage over the edits.

In one example, Riley O'Keefe was wearing an outfit that the school told her met the dress code requirements, yet the school decided to edit the photo that appeared in the yearbook to make her appear covered.

O'Keefe told First Coast News she believes there's a double standard and pointed out members of the boys swim team wearing Speedos.

Story continues below.

RELATED: School decides to cover girls' chests by altering yearbook photos, St. Johns County students, parents angry

Students and parents say it's part of a larger dress code controversy in the county that disproportionately targets female students. Dozens of parents are reporting the same issue, and say this is sexualizing young girls.

Yvette Ballard daughter's picture was also altered and says students are harassing her by sharing the picture on Snapchat. 

"They are getting all this backlash on the children and they had nothing to do with it. So, now you've made them even more of a target," Ballard told First Coast News.

Not only are the edits sparking controversy, but also is the way that the botched edits were made. It appears small sections of the student's clothing were cut and pasted over their chests.

In some photos, the designs on the shirts are completely unrecognizable afterward.

Adrian Bartlett said her daughter's photo below has been completely botched.

Credit: Provided
Bartram Trail High School chose to edit dozens of girls' photos for the school yearbook, despite the girls saying their outfits met dress code requirements.

Though her daughter’s photo was altered to accommodate the dress code, her daughter was never confronted at school that her outfit was inappropriate.

In fact, Bartlett said it’s her daughter’s favorite outfit and she wears it weekly without a problem all year.

“They completely altered her photo, and it makes her chest looked deformed in a way,” Bartlett said. “Now other kids are writing in her yearbook and writing about it and making comments and jokes about it.”

Bartlett said altering these photos makes these girls even more of a target.

“With these kids, it’s scary because they deal with so much pressure and stress already and now you put body image issues on top of it,” Bartlett said.

Kids are also posting them on social media.

Jake Third says his girlfriend’s picture was censored as well. He said there is a double standard.

“Guys wear muscle shirts to school, and they won’t dress code them,” Third said. “But they’ll dress code girls for wearing a tank top.”

As a senior, he’s disappointed.

“It’s annoying to me because we didn’t get much of a homecoming or prom,” Third said. “And I thought the yearbook would be really good, and now there’s a problem with the yearbook.”

The school district said the school is offering refunds to any parent who calls about the issue and that the school altered the photos, not the yearbook company.

An English teacher at the high school oversees the yearbook's creation.

RELATED: 'This is a big deal': Students on the First Coast want to change 'sexist' dress code policies

RELATED: 'It's been a problem in our culture': St. Johns Co. student calling for more gender equality in school dress code

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