MONROE, Ohio (AP) — High school cheerleaders have been caught short by a new dress code.

The Monroe school district this year is requiring all skirts worn in class to be no shorter than 3 inches above the knees. That rules out the cheerleaders' slit-sided miniskirts, which traditionally have been worn to school on game days.

Cheerleaders will violate the policy unless the girls wear leggings or long shorts under the skirts.

That's left some Fighting Hornet cheerleaders and parents buzzing.

"This came out of left field last week when they told the girls and us parents about the change. Our jaws just hit the ground," said Tammy Ihle, whose daughter cheers for the freshmen football team. "We've spent more than $400 on the uniform and she worked hard and earned the right to wear her uniform at school."

Ihle wonders why the uniforms are OK for the girls to wear in pep rallies and at games, but not for school. Some parents said it's silly to link cheerleaders to school efforts to curtail provocative clothing.

"The cheerleading uniform skirts have always been short," Ihle said.

Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli said officials plan to meet with unhappy parents but have no plans to change the policy for the 1,000-student district, about 25 miles north of Cincinnati.

Krista Petersen, whose daughter is also a freshman cheerleader, said she and other parents will complain to the Monroe school board.

The nearby Lakota school district makes an exception in its dress code for cheerleaders.

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Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com