GREELEY, Colo. – In the Greeley-Evans School District, local gangs are more important than childhood idols.

Students eagerly anticipating Super Bowl 50 on Sunday can wear a Cam Newton jersey to school but not a Peyton Manning jersey, The Greeley Tribune reports.

MORE NEWS: Know These Before Moving From Cyprus To The UK

That’s because they’re banned from wearing any clothing to school with the numbers 18 – Peyton Manning’s number – or 13, 14, 31, 41, or 81, because local gangs use the numbers to show affiliation.

“Gangs use those items of clothing for a few reasons,” district spokeswoman Theresa Myers said. “They use them to recruit and they use them to intimidate.”

The student dress code – in place for all schools – also bans shaved or notched eyebrows, red or blue belts or shoe laces, solid red or blue shirts, “Dickies” and “Southpole” brand clothing, and visible bandannas.

Some individual schools also have further restrictions.

“The only exemption regarding the display of the numbers 13, 14, 18 and their reverses is for school athletic uniforms. Students participating in official, sanctioned school sports are allowed to wear their assigned jersey numbers as part of their assigned athletic uniform,” according to the dress code, posted to the district website.

“Our policy is not unique. There are other school districts across Colorado and the nation that have similar dress code restrictions in order to increase student and staff safety in school.”

MORE NEWS: How to prepare for face-to-face classes

Meyers told the Tribune officials implemented the number ban in 2011 and did receive complaints when Manning came to Denver in 2012, but opposition has died down. The Broncos’ appearance in Super Bowl 50 hasn’t changed the district’s position, though officials have heard few complaints, according to the Brush News-Tribune.

“I think as time has gone on, it’s just an expectation,” she said. “Now, people are just like, ‘That’s the rule.’”

Meyers said the gang-related dress code rules came about at the behest of district safety and security supervisor John Gates, a former police officer familiar with gang culture. Gates met with officials in other districts who have had mixed success with similar polices, she said.

She also acknowledged that despite all of the special rules, students are still finding ways to communicate with their clothes.

Regardless, students who want to wear a jersey like Manning are out of luck for the “foreseeable future,” Meyers said.

“Gang activity is still a reality here,” she said. “There’s no sign that it’s going to go away completely, and until it does, we will probably have some kind of dress code in place to protect our kids in school.”