DURANGO, Colo. — from www.kdvr.com – A Durango High School senior claims unfair censorship after her peers on the yearbook staff decided her yearbook photo isn’t appropriate to use for her senior portrait.

The picture Sydney Spies [pictured], 18, wants to use shows her in a short yellow skirt and top that leaves her shoulders and midriff exposed.

The four yearbook staff members say the clothing in the picture violates dress code at the school.

The editors defended their decision Thursday, saying their vote was unanimous. But they say the photo can run in a section reserved for paid senior advertisements where family and friends express messages to the students.

The principal, Diane Lashinsky, says she was aware of the editors’ decision and she supports it.

Sydney Spies says she thinks the editors made their decision based on pressure from administrators.

She says the picture is a good representation of her personality because she’s interested in modeling and photography.

Does she think the picture is suggestive?

“Not to me personally, I just think it’s artistic,” Spies told FOX31 Denver on Friday. “I don’t think it’s that bad of a picture. People who know me know I’m fun…I’m a fun person. I’m going through all this effort and all I want is my picture in the yearbook.”

She says the decision rejecting the photo violates her freedom of expression.

Miki Spies, Sydney’s mother says on her Facebook page that she urged her daughter to choose a different photo, but she’s 18 and doesn’t always listen.

“I knew this would be hard and it’s proving to be. But when SHE chose this beautiful photo on my profile, I was 100% going to support her.”

Miki Spies believes the school administration overruled student editors’ original decision to allow the picture, and she thinks the photo should be allowed.

The school administration denies any involvement in the decision regarding the photo.

Sydney Spies met with Durango High School’s principal on Friday, but the situation did not change, Miki Spies said.