They were worn by the school shooters in Santa Fe and Columbine, but trenchcoats are not banned at Bay area schools.
They are banned at many districts across the nation.
The shooters in the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado both wore long duster-style coats during their rampage and were later investigated for ties to a student group known as the Trenchcoat Mafia.
Ever since, concerns about copycats have prompted districts nationwide to change their dress codes.
Fast forward to Santa Fe last Friday.
“From what we know, this dude walked in today with a long coat and shotgun under his coat,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said, describing the high school shooter. “It’s 90 degrees.”
Several students told KHOU that suspect Dimitrios Pagourtzis often wore the same coat to school, the same duster-style coat he posted on Facebook weeks earlier. It was adorned with pins and medallions representing rebellion and evil.
Santa Fe's student handbook states, “Trenchcoats are not acceptable as a form of outwear and will not be accepted at school.”
The ban on the long coats is common in school. Many districts nationwide ban them.
10Investigates has learned, though, that school districts in the Bay Area don’t ban trenchcoats.
Manatee County did tell us that their code of conduct handbook does allow the school principal or designee will be the final judge about whether your clothing is appropriate for school.
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