Parents in Weber County, Utah, are pushing back against an elementary school after the principal informed female students that they cannot refuse when asked to dance.

Natalie Richard raised concerns after her sixth-grade daughter came home and mentioned she was told she couldn't decline if a boy asked her to dance at the Valentine's Day event.

Initially, Richard thought her daughter had misunderstood.

"Oh no, no honey," she said. "You guys are misunderstanding again. That's not how it is."

When her daughter persisted in her claim, Richard decided to verify it with her daughter's teacher. The teacher's response left her beyond horrified.

"The teacher said she can't," Richard said. "She has to say yes. She has to accept and I said, 'Excuse me.'"

Angry and frustrated, Richard escalated her concerns to the principal, who confirmed the rule.

"He basically just said they've had this dance set up this way for a long time and they've never had any concern before," she said.

An official from the Weber County School District, which includes Kanesville Elementary, stated that the rule is real but was intended to promote inclusivity.

"Please be respectful, be polite," the official, Lane Findlay, said. "We want to promote kindness, and so we want you to say yes when someone asks you to dance."

Findlay explained that before the voluntary dance, students fill out a card with the names of five people they'd like to dance with. If there's someone they are uncomfortable dancing with, they are encouraged to "speak up" about it.

"If there is an issue, if there are students that are uncomfortable or have a problem with another student, I mean: that's certainly something that can be addressed with that student and parents," Findlay said.

Richard, unaware of the rule since it was not communicated to parents, argues that it sends the wrong message to children.

"Psychologically, my daughter keeps coming to me and saying I can't say 'no' to a boy," she said. "That's the message kids are getting. Sends a bad message to girls that girls have to say 'yes'; sends a bad message to boys that girls can't say 'no.'"

Although steps have been taken to inform parents about the rule, such as including it in a permission slip, there have been no moves to abolish the rule.