Purpose Elementary School Dress Code The District s dress code is established to teach grooming and hygiene, instill discipline, prevent disruption, avoid safety hazards, and teach respect for authority. The elementary school dress code for students is as follows: 1. Shirttails must be worn inside jeans, slacks, and skirts unless the bottom of the shirt or blouse is square and not excessive in length. 2. Shirts and blouses may be worn unbuttoned no lower than one button below the collar. 3. See-through shirts or blouses, sleeveless shirts, sleeveless blouses, vests without a proper undershirt, sleeveless undershirts without a proper shirt, cut-off T-shirts, and crop tops may not be worn. 4. Low-cut, shoulder less, or string-tie/halter-type dresses, blouses, or shirts may not be worn. Length of dresses and skirts must be appropriate for school. 5. Clothes printed or stamped with obscene, vulgar, or suggestive language or scenes are prohibited. Apparel such as shirts with drug, alcohol, or tobacco logos, symbols, or illustrations are also prohibited. 6. Hair must be clean and neatly combed. Style and cut must not be extreme to the point of creating a distraction. Boys hair must not exceed dress shirt collar length. Hair tails are not permitted. 7. Boys are prohibited from wearing earrings, piercing devices, or strings in their ears or any other parts of their bodies. Girls may wear earrings on the ears only. 8. Overcoats and lined flannel shirts will be worn only during cold weather. Lined flannel shirts and jackets must be worn fully buttoned or completely unbuttoned (as per item 2). Unlined flannel shirts with tails must be worn tucked into the pants. 9. Personal items such as athletic equipment and electronic gear (for example: footballs, basketballs, radios, Walkmans, portable video games, electronic toys, and the like) shall not be allowed on school grounds. 10. Clothing more than two sizes too large shall not be permitted. 11. The wearing or display of gang-related colors or gang-related paraphernalia shall not be permitted. DATE ISSUED: 7/27/2015 1 of 5
12. Pants, trousers, or shorts must be worn at the waist. Secondary School Dress Code 13. Clothing and jewelry must be worn as they are designed to be worn (for example: straps on overalls must be worn on the shoulder). The secondary school dress code for students is as follows: 1. Shirts with shirttails must be tucked. 2. Shirts and blouses may be worn unbuttoned no lower than two buttons below the collar. 3. Walking shorts may be worn by secondary students (grades 6 12). 4. See-through shirts or blouses, sleeveless shirts and blouses without proper undershirts, vests without a proper undershirt, sleeveless undershirts without a proper shirt, and crop tops may not be worn. Sleeveless dresses, blouses, and shirts may be worn provided that undergarments are not exposed. Shirts, blouses, and T-shirts must not expose the mid-area of the body. 5. Low-cut, shoulder less, or string-tie/halter-type dresses, blouses, or shirts may not be worn. Length of dresses and skirts must be appropriate for school and not distracting to others. 6. Caps, hats, helmets, or headgear shall not be worn unless they are required for an approved school activity. Bandannas are not allowed. 7. Clothes and personal items printed or stamped with obscene, vulgar, or suggestive language or scenes such as skulls, blood, and the like are prohibited. Apparel such as shirts with drug, alcohol, or tobacco logos, symbols, or illustrations or logos, symbols, or illustrations of any other substance prohibited under FNCF(LEGAL) are also prohibited. 8. Hair must be clean and neatly combed. Style, cut, and color must not be extreme to the point of creating a distraction. Boys hair must not exceed beyond dress shirt collar length. Hair tails are not permitted. 9. Sideburns must not extend beyond the bottom of the ear lobe. Mustaches must be neatly trimmed. Beards and goatees are not permitted. DATE ISSUED: 7/27/2015 2 of 5
10. Students are prohibited from wearing earrings, piercing devices, or strings in their ears or any other parts of their bodies. Girls may wear earrings on the ears only. No other bodypiercing device may be worn. 11. Grooming, combing hair, and applying make-up or nail polish is not allowed in the classroom. 12. Steel-toe shoes (footwear) are not permitted except in shop areas as required by instructors. Shoes with metal taps or noise-making devices on the soles are not allowed. 13. Students are not allowed to wear baggy clothing, including clothes tailored to look oversized and long belts. 14. Overcoats and lined flannel shirts will be worn only during cold weather. Lined flannel shirts/jackets must be worn fully buttoned or completely unbuttoned (as per item 2). Unlined flannel shirts with tails must be worn tucked into the pants. 15. Clothing style and cut must not be excessive in nature as to create a distraction or safety hazard. 16. The wearing or display of gang-related colors or gang-related paraphernalia will not be permitted. 17. Pants or trousers must be worn at the waist. 18. Clothing and jewelry must be worn as they are designed to be worn (for example: straps on overalls must be worn on the shoulder). No chains are to be worn with clothing or wallets. Students shall not threaten, harass, or otherwise attempt to intimidate fellow students who wear or display specific colors of clothing or school supplies and the like. [See FFH] Administrative Judgment Extracurricular Activities School Uniforms The appropriateness of all clothing/dress shall be determined by administrative personnel utilizing professional judgment that reflects community standards. The principal, in cooperation with the sponsor, coach, or other person in charge of an extracurricular activity, may regulate the dress and grooming of students who participate in the activity. Students who violate those standards may be removed or excluded from the activity for a period determined by the principal or sponsor and may be subject to other disciplinary action as specified in the Student Code of Conduct. [See FO series] The Board believes that requiring school uniforms will improve the learning environment at District campuses. Simplifying proper dress for school business will have a positive impact by instilling DATE ISSUED: 7/27/2015 3 of 5
greater school pride, encouraging appropriate behavior among students, preparing students for the world of work, and eliminating symbolic distractions that are a direct result of certain types of apparel and logos among students; therefore, improving school safety. It is because of this belief that the Board stands firm to support any campus deciding that taking such action will encourage responsible student behavior and will assist in creating a learning environment that significantly improves student achievement. Campus Proposals Uniform / Standard Dress Requirements Compliance Measures A campus that wishes to require uniform dress shall submit a written proposal to the Board. This proposal shall outline administrative guidelines and procedures that will be adhered to in order to comply with state law and to ensure the effective implementation of the initiative. It is the expectation of the District that each school that submits an application has worked closely with members of its campus site-based decision-making council and of its local community to ensure support and responsiveness to specific needs. The Board shall make the decision to require students at that school to wear school uniforms. Students shall wear uniforms beginning on the 90th day after the date on which the Board accepts the proposal. Campuses participating in the uniform initiative shall specify proper school attire for males and females in their proposals submitted to the Board. The process whereby these decisions were made shall be explained. The campus shall provide information describing in detail the uniform and listing the range of costs for each item of clothing as provided by a variety of vendors. The information shall also state that in cases of severe financial hardship, parents may contact their child s school to request assistance. The intent of this policy is not to inhibit or prohibit any student who is not in uniform from receiving the education to which he or she is entitled. No student shall be suspended from class or from school, be expelled from school, or receive a lowered academic grade as a result of not complying with the policy. Prior to initiating any disciplinary action against a student not complying with the policy, a conference with the parent or guardian shall be held with a campus administrator and school counselor to solicit parental cooperation and support. Source of Funding A funding source (local, state, and/or federal) shall be identified through the development of the budget to provide for the purchase of uniforms at the designated school for students who are economically disadvantaged. Campuses participating in this initiative shall DATE ISSUED: 7/27/2015 4 of 5
develop administrative guidelines to identify students in need of financial assistance. Exemptions and Transfers A parent or guardian of a student assigned to a campus where uniforms are required may choose for the student to be exempted from the uniform requirement or for the student to be transferred to a school where uniforms are not required and at which space is available. If a transfer option is taken, the parent or guardian shall provide for the transportation to and from school. In order to exercise one of these options, the parent or guardian shall provide a statement citing a religious or philosophical objection to the uniform requirement and shall submit the written statement to the campus principal. The request shall be processed to determine its merit and acceptance and submitted to the Board for approval. Each request shall be screened for the purpose of: 1. Ensuring that the parent or guardian understands the reasons for, and goals of, the uniform policy; 2. Verifying the accuracy of the information on the application; and 3. Preventing fraud or misrepresentation. DATE ISSUED: 7/27/2015 ADOPTED: 5 of 5