Jul
14
July 2008 – Dress Code
July 14, 2008 | | Leave a Comment
Superintendent’s Corner
July 2008
Dress Code
At various times during the course of the school year, the school board, along with the representatives of the teacher’s unions, meet to discuss issues or concerns facing the district. Over the past several months, some discussions have centered on the violations of the student dress code. Staff members have discussed with the board that students come to school dressed inappropriately at various times during the course of the school year. The dress code is listed below for your review so you can see what items are enforced within the school.
Dress: An individual’s habit of dress and personal grooming are an important part of his/her total personality and they often determine not only his/her attitude toward himself/herself, but also the way others look at him/her. These regulations will be enforced to ensure the health and safety of all students and to minimize the disruption of education within the classroom due to the potentially distracting nature of certain styles of dress.
1. Safe and appropriate footwear is required.
2. Bare midriffs, see through blouses, low cut tops, tops that expose one shoulder, undershirts, tube tops, halter tops, and tank top style shirts with less than two-inch straps over the shoulders, are inappropriate attire and not permitted.
3. No short shorts, skirts or dresses are permitted. The length of these garments must be no higher than fingertip length with arms extended alongside of the body.
4. Clothing, buttons, accessories or other insignias deemed inappropriate are not permitted in school. This includes items that are sexually suggestive, or that mock, ridicule or demean a race, religion or culture. Clothing items that display references to drugs, tobacco products, vulgarity or alcoholic beverages may not be worn in school.
5. Hats, headbands and headwear are not to be worn during school hours.
6. Extremely tattered or excessively long clothing is prohibited. Also prohibited are extremely baggy pants. All pants are to be worn at waist level.
7. Any items worn as jewelry or clothing that could present a safety problem or are a distraction to the educational process are not allowed.
8. Any item, material, jewelry, clothing, make-up, etc. that is deemed as being excessive because of its potential to create a safety problem or to be a distraction to the educational process is not permitted.
9. Individual classroom teachers may impose additional dress regulations as they relate to their curriculum. These regulations may be imposed to ensure health and/or safety and must have the prior approval of the principal. Such additional regulations are to be posted in the classroom and students are to be informed of these regulations.
As part of the educational chit chat meeting, the teachers took a survey of their colleagues to determine what their feelings were on a potential student dress code. The comments are still being reviewed. The potential to move forward with the dress code would be a process that would have to be thoroughly investigated and reviewed with teachers, administrators, students and parents to determine the appropriateness of instituting that in the Milton Area School District. At this point in time, there is no movement on behalf of the district to institute a dress code in the coming school year, but simply to begin the investigation process looking into this particular matter.
The attempt in the July blog is to see what kind of comments or feedback individuals would have regarding this issue.
