HARRISBURG, N.C. -- The suspension of a student over a dress code violation is getting attention from across the globe.
The honor roll student at Hickory Ridge High School was punished for not following the principal’s orders after she wore a shirt that showed her shoulders and back.
After NBC Charlotte first reported the story last week, the story has gone viral. Thousands of people have written to Hickory Ridge High School from all over the world.
The Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office says the school has received 5,000 phone calls and emails, some of them threatening. The sheriff’s office is now investigating.
Summer wore a top that showed her shoulders and back which violated the school's dress code.
In the suspension notice from Hickory Ridge High School, the principal and Summer apparently had an interaction where the principal told Summer to cover up with a jacket. The report states Summer responded with, "I think my shirt is fine". The principal then told Summer that her lower back was also completely exposed, so she was still not in compliance with dress code. Summer repeats again, "My shirt is fine."
Summer did not have a jacket, but a friend offered to loan her one.
"I pulled it up, put the jacket over it, zipped up the jacket," Summer told NBC Charlotte.
She says the principal told her she would have to go to the control room to change her clothes.
"I completely understand why a dress code is put into place but I feel like after I put on that jacket it should have been subdued," Summer said.
Summer says she and the principal have had a number of issues during her four years at the school. The tension has gotten so bad that her mother says she recently instructed the school administrators to call her before taking any sort disciplinary action against Summer.
Summer says, when the principal told her to go to the control room, she remained seated.
"They can't take me anywhere unless my mother is called," she says. "So I said 'I apologize, I can't go anywhere with you unless my mom is called."
That's when the situation escalated.
Summer says neither she nor the principal was able to reach her mother. The period ended and Summer accompanied dozens of her friends to the auditorium. Shortly after, she says the principal entered the room and ordered everyone to leave except for Summer.
"[The SRO] was within five feet of me, he had his hand on his gun. [The principal] said 'I'm gonna give you an ultimatum. We have tried to call your mother. You either come with me to the control room to change your shirt or we will arrest you."
Summer says she remained seated and proceeded to try to reach her mother again.
"I stayed in my seat just like a lot of role models that I have looked up to stayed in their seats," she says. 'I mean, you have to stand up for what you believe in."
Summer says the principal instructed the SRO to arrest Summer. Before he could handcuff her, her mother called back.
Summer went to the control room with the school administrators where she was given a 10-day suspension and ordered not to attend any senior activities, including graduation.
"It's just sad because I worked so hard for four years to walk across that stage," she says. "We have drug dealers walking across that stage, we have sex offenders walking across that stage and then the 4.4 student who showed her shoulders can't."
The senior is an honor roll student with a full scholarship to a major university.
She was given a 10 day suspension for insubordination and was banned from walking at graduation. The official cause for suspension, according to the letter sent home, was "insubordination".
The sheriff's office says 5,000 people have written letters and called Hickory Ridge High School’s principal blasting her decision.
Now, there could be bigger issues at the school. The sheriff's office says they're investigating emails threatening to harm the principal.
After rumors of students planning to protest in support of Summer, the school scaled back a senior awards ceremony this week. Summer would have been honored at that ceremony.
Summer continues to sit at home with her future hanging in appeals.
“It's just sad because I worked so hard to walk across that stage,” Summer said.
The school system will still not comment on the case and they won’t say whether Summer will be allowed to walk at graduation.
The sheriff’s office says they have never seen anything like this before.