Carrie Young  

Created: 10/21/2006 6:30:10 PM

Updated:10/22/2006 12:16:53 PM

DAYTON (AP) -- A Dayton mother is upset that her daughter has been suspended from middle school for five days for bringing a plastic comb to school.

Dayton public schools prohibit hard combs with long, sharp handles commonly called "rat-tails" because they can be used as a weapon in fights.

But parent Mary Thomas says the suspension of her eighth-grade daughter from Wilbur Wright Middle School is an outrage.

She questions whether the district will ban pencils and scissors next.

The school board stands by the policy and says students have been warned not to bring that type of comb to school.