SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - District 186 in Springfield is not allowing students to wear sleeping apparel for virtual classes. 

The district's 2020-21 handbook said students must "be dressed according to the dress code." Its language does not allow "hats, caps, bandanas, hoods of any type, sweatbands, sunglasses, pajama pants, slippers, or shoes with wheels attached to the bottom" to be worn in school buildings. 

Students are also instructed to be out of bed, sit at a table and look directly into the camera during class. 

Director of Student Support Jason Wind specifically referenced pajamas in a recent school board meeting. 

"We don’t need students in pajamas and all those other things while on their Zoom conference," Wind said. “In our regular student dress code, it actually states that pajama pants and so forth are not acceptable school apparel. And so this remote learning information that we put in, with the students' rights and responsibilities that will fall back under that dress code. They must follow the dress code of the building, and so no pajama pants."

NBC News reached out to parents about the district's policy. John Freml, who has students in kindergarten and second grade with the district this year, questioned if it was a good idea. 

"To put more barriers in place, 'You have to sit at a table, you have to dress a certain way,' does not make sense," said Freml, who is an information technology employee at the University of Illinois Springfield. "We have to meet families where they are and not put up more restrictions."

School board member Judith Ann Johnson pointed out she's received no pushback on the policy. She said people dressed nicely are "better able to perform" and added wearing sleepwear in class shows "you're not taking it seriously."

District spokeswoman Bree Hankins offered a detailed statement to WAND-TV about the virtual learning dress code: 

"The remote learning expectations and district dress code policy can be found on pages 19 and 20 (of the handbook). The remote learning expectations reference our regular district dress code. There is no distinct dress code for remote learning.

Our handbook and updated guidelines for remote learning were developed collaboratively with administrators, teachers, and parents, with the best of intentions to provide a framework to navigate this new educational landscape.

Our hope is that students approach remote learning as they would in a classroom setting, to the extent possible given each student’s individual circumstances. However, we understand the interpretation of the dress code in a remote learning environment will differ from a normal school setting. It is understandable that during remote learning our dress code will be flexible.

We do not intend to be punitive or to prescribe what students wear at home during remote learning, especially in this period of uncertainty and adjustment for students, families and staff. If there is a specific concern as it relates to dress code, we will address it individually with the student and their family.

We appreciate the input and attention to our handbook and we are open to making our guidelines more supportive and inclusive."

The Springfield 186 district begins class on Aug. 31. Students will learn in a hybrid model, with in-person instruction held two days each week and digital learning happening three days per week. The district has the option of fully remote learning.Â