Keeping students focused is always a challenge. Amelia Robbins, 12, says her style is not to blame for any distractions.

Amelia is a star student who always does her homework, her chores and her hair. While the style changes at will, she takes the color seriously.

“My father passed away when I was 6 years old, and I find the color pink is the cancer color and he died of cancer,” she said Wednesday.

When Amelia finished 6th grade with streaks in her hair, Mountain Grove Middle School administrators weren't fans.

"He said, ‘Okay, it's fine this time but don't do it again,’” said Amelia.

Over the summer, with her mother's permission, Amelia dyed her whole ‘do. The color controversy was not forgotten, however, and her school year stopped days after it started.

"He said, ‘You're suspended until you can change your hair.’ I don't feel like I should have to, because I'm expressing myself as an individual, because they constantly tell us, ‘Be different, don't follow the crowd,’” said Amelia.

“If it's something that's getting in the way,” said Principal J.T. Hale, “we try to address it and curtail it as soon as we can."

Administrators’ authority over distractions is in the school handbook. Amelia says it lacks specifics, however.

"Lay it plain and simple in the handbook: ‘You're not allowed to have these shades of color -- pink, green, whatever.’ But pink could be a shade of red, so can redheads not go to school?" asked Amelia.

"We want it to be equal for everybody, nobody getting any more attention than anyone else, and we just go on with the process of education,” said Hale.

The biggest question now is Amelia’s education.

"I really want to get back to school so I don't have to make up too much work but I'm willing to not be in school to resolve this case,” she said.

And she thinks that's fine with her inspiration (her dad).

"I think he's probably really proud, because I'm fighting for something,” she said.

Because of privacy law, district administrators said they could not specifically discuss Amelia's situation, but talked in general terms about its policies.

Her parents say they’re talking to an attorney and, while they support Amelia wholeheartedly, they are weighing their options for how long to let this go, to dye her hair back, hire a tutor, just something to get her back on track. Hale says the district will work with families in this situation to get students back in school.