Students at CedarBridge Academy were not sent home or refused entry for not having ID cards yesterday, said principal Kalmar Richards.

Media reports said dozens of students were made to leave the school grounds because they didn't have proper identification.

The reports said students who refused to pay $2 for a temporary card left the senior school as well.

But Mrs. Richards said she only knew of four students who went home to change in order to participate in an annual breast cancer awareness fund-raiser the school was holding.

"Students were informed in assembly and advisories of the expectations for the day in terms of what to wear. Students who arrive at school and who contravene the dress code do so knowing what action will be taken by the school.

"I have listed in my records the names of four students who were asked to go home, change and return. If students other than those four students left the school premises, they did so on their own accord and without the school being informed. Those students are truant from school."

Students are required to have ID cards on them to enter the premises and were told last Friday checks would be conducted starting yesterday.

The cards are necessary to help security staff identify who should and should not be at the school, a Ministry spokesperson said.

"CBA students are required to have an ID and to show it as they enter. This is part of our safety procedures," Mrs. Richards added.

"Students were issued a written notice in the form of a postcard. [They were] given to each student last week informing them that the formal ID checks would start [yesterday].

"Students were reminded that if they did not have an ID, they would have to purchase a temporary ID at the cost of $2."

She continued: "I was just inside the entrance to the building today and I dealt with all matters pertaining to students not having IDs.

"I did not encounter any student at the entrance who refused to pay for a temporary ID. No student was refused entry or sent home.

"If a student left the premises because they did not have an ID, or funds to pay for an ID, those students did so without informing the school or working with us to address the issue. Those students are considered to be truant from school."

The principal expressed her displeasure in the way the matter became public.

She said: "I am extremely disappointed that some of our students chose not to demonstrate excellence concerning this matter. Also, it is disappointing that some parents chose to contact the media before they contacted the school and that the media chose to run stories before getting both sides.

"We are committed to the success of our students and we hold them to high standards. We expect them, as I am sure the community does, to meet these standards."