PENTA, Ohio - With her parents at her side, 17-year-old Amanda Schiffer emerged from Penta Career Center with tears in her eyes, a tissue in her hands, and a $200 tiny diamond stud in her nose.
The Penta junior had just received a second 10-day school suspension - and an expulsion hearing notice - after refusing for a third time to remove the nose stud.

"They told us today they're not going to let me back in, I don't think," Schiffer said after she left the Penta campus. "My whole life has been based on school. To lose it based on my appearance, it hurts."

But Penta leaders have long banned facial jewelry as a way to prepare their vocational students for the workforce. Other students have been asked to remove similar jewelry. School officials said Schiffer is the first to violate the policy repeatedly.

If a nose ring is "big and gaudy, then it's different," said Amanda Smith, 19, who is taking courses at Penta Career Center to become an administrative assistant.

"We regret her decision and think that it's an unfortunate one," said Patricia Schultz, the school's assistant superintendent.

Schiffer, a junior studying horticulture, was first suspended for five days April 10 after she arrived in class with the earring in her nose. Her mother had allowed her to get her nose pierced for her birthday.

When she returned to school with the nose stud after the five-day suspension, she was suspended for 10 days. When she showed up with the nose jewelry, she was told to leave for another 10 days.