STUDENT DRESS PHILOSOPHY

We believe that appropriate dress and grooming contribute to a productive learning environment. We expect students to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to wear clothes that are suitable for the school activities in which they participate. The primary responsibility for a student’s attire resides with the student and their parent(s) or guardian(s). To ensure effective and equitable enforcement of these dress guidelines, school staff shall enforce the guidelines consistently and in a manner that does not reinforce or increase marginalization or oppression of any group based on race, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, household income or body type/size. Student dress guidelines should support equitable educational access and should not reinforce gender stereotypes.

Our values are:

• All students should be able to dress comfortably for school and engage in the educational environment without fear of or actual unnecessary discipline or body shaming.
• All students and staff should understand that they are responsible for managing their own personal "distractions" without regulating individual students' clothing/self-expression.
• Teachers should focus on teaching without the additional and often uncomfortable burden of dress code enforcement.

Our student dress guidelines are designed to accomplish several goals:

• Maintain a safe learning environment in classes where protective or supportive clothing is needed, such as science (eye or body protection), or PE (athletic attire/shoes).
• Allow students to wear clothing of their choice that is comfortable.
• Allow students to wear clothing that expresses their self-identified gender.
• Allow students to wear religious attire without fear of discipline or discrimination.
• Prevent students from wearing clothing or accessories with offensive images or language, including profanity, hate speech, and pornography.
• Prevent students from wearing clothing or accessories that denote, suggest, display or reference alcohol, drugs or related paraphernalia or other illegal conduct or activities.
• Prevent students from wearing clothing or accessories that reasonably can be construed as being or including content that is racist, lewd, vulgar or obscene, or that reasonably can be construed as containing fighting words, speech that incites others to imminent lawless action, defamatory speech, or threats to others.
• Ensure that all students are treated equitably regardless of race, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, household income or body type/size.

The following guidelines shall apply to attendance at school and all school activities and events:

Basic Principle

• Clothing must fully cover private areas including buttocks and breasts with opaque fabric
• Clothing must allow students a full range of motion - sitting, bending, reaching, running - without requiring readjustment to cover up said private areas
• Underwear and bras must not be visible
• All items listed in the “must wear” and “may wear” categories below must meet this basic principle

Must Wear

• Shirt - must have fabric in the front, back, both sides under arms, and over the shoulder without requiring readjustment to cover private areas
• Shirt must touch the top of pants/shorts/skirt or the equivalent when both arms are down
• Pants/shorts/skirt or the equivalent - for example, a skirt, shorts, pants, jeans, leggings, dress
• Shoes must be worn at all times

May Wear - as long as the items do not violate the basic principle above

• Shorts - shorts of all types are allowed, including athletic shorts and cut-off shorts
• Shirts - Tank tops with spaghetti straps are allowed
• Shoes - sandals may be worn, however, a second pair of closed-toed shoes must be brought for PE and/or during a science lab
• Hats - are allowed on campus, however, hats in the classroom are up to the discretion of the teacher
• Religious headwear