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Student Dress Code Policy Parent & Student Memo

Student Dress Code Policy - Parent & Student Memo

 

To:                         Parents, Students and Staff

From:                    Dr. James J. Lavender, Superintendent

Subject:               Student Dress Code

Date:                    July 22, 2022

 

We have taken time to examine our middle and high school student dress code as well as implementation of the Code and impact it has on students, staff and the overall school environment. Please take the time to review the highlights below.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

  1. Establishes Dress Code Philosophy.
  2. Looking through lens of equity.
  3. Pant/skirt/short length moved from fingertip to fist length.
  4. Clarified misconceptions regarding leggings/yoga pants.
  5. Spaghetti straps, halter tops, tank tops, off-the-shoulder tops are permitted.
  6. Clarified expectations for dress code enforcement by school staff.
  7. Head coverings are permitted with administrative approval.
  8. Ambiguous language such as “exaggerates anatomy” and “inappropriate amount of cleavage” has been removed.
  9. Clarify “allowable” and “not allowable” clothing attire.

 

Dress Code Philosophy:

It is the District’s expectation that all students dress appropriately for the school day, athletic competition, activity and any school sponsored event. The Student Dress Code is designed to support equitable educational access and should not increase marginalization or oppression of any group based on race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status or cultural observance.

 

While we believe that the primary responsibility for a student’s attire resides with the student and his or her parent(s) or guardian(s), the school takes its responsibility to establish and enforce a dress code that:

  • does not interfere with the health or safety of any student;
  • does not contribute to a hostile or intimidating school environment;
  • respects the District’s intent to sustain a community that is inclusive of a diverse range of identities; and,
  • affords students opportunities for responsible decision making.

 

The items below adhere to our district’s dress code philosophy and are allowable:

    1. Pants/jeans or the equivalent worn at the hips or higher (i.e. sweatpants, skirt, non-sheer leggings or yoga pants, shorts).
    2. Pants/jeans or the equivalent cannot be any shorter than fist length.
    3. Shirts that cover the front, back, and sides (i.e. Tank tops, including spaghetti straps, off-the-shoulder shirts and halter tops are permitted);
    4. Religious headwear and/or headwear worn for purposes that administration has provided advanced approval.
    5. School approved athletic uniforms.

 

The items below do not adhere to our District’s dress code philosophy and are not allowable:

    1. Clothing or accessories with offensive, distasteful or suggestive images or language. (e.g. profanity, hate speech, and erotic language/images.)
    2. Clothing or accessories that denote, suggest, display or reference alcohol, drugs or related paraphernalia, weapons or other illegal conduct or activities.
    3. Clothing or accessories that will interfere with the operation of the school, disrupt the educational process, invade the rights of others, or create a reasonably foreseeable risk of such interference or invasion of rights.
    4. Excessively ripped or revealing clothing, that expose a disproportionate amount of skin (i.e. rips in pants cannot be above fist length.)
    5. Shorts, skirts, dresses that are above fist length.
    6. Pants/jeans or the equivalent worn below the hips.
    7. Tube tops, midriff baring shirts, crop tops.
    8. Sunglasses (unless prescribed by a doctor and a doctor’s note is provided).
    9. Accessories that could be considered dangerous or could be used as a weapon.
    10. Pajamas or pajama pants, slippers, robes, blankets, pillows.
    11. Outerwear & head coverings (heavy jackets, overcoats, rain gear, gloves, hoods, hats, baseball caps, bandanas).
    12. Costumes, capes, banners and/or flags.

 

Student are expected to abide by the dress code expectations noted above, and teachers will enforce compliance in a manner that is fair and consistent and aligns with the District’s communicated philosophy, ensuring there is not an increase in marginalization or oppression of any group based on race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status or cultural observance.