443.1 - STUDENT DRESS CODE
The fundamental purpose of the School District of Auburndale is to provide a safe, orderly school, which minimizes distractions and maximizes the learning environment. Therefore, the development of a policy on dress code is for the protection of the health and safety of the students and to remove any disruptions from the daily educational process. District students should always be neat and clean in their dress and appearance. If a student has selected a manner of appearance that is beyond mere freedom of expression and disrupts the educational process or presents a risk to themselves or others, the student will be required to change or cover up inappropriate clothing before returning to class. The administration has the final authority on all matters relating to the dress code.All students (elementary and high school), male and female, will be required to observe student dress code guidelines as approved by the Board of Education. Staff and administrators are instructed to equally apply and enforce this policy in all grades and with all students regardless of gender. Acceptable guidelines are defined as follows:
1. Responsibility for the personal appearance of students enrolled in the District shall normally rest with the students themselves and their parents/guardians. Student dress and grooming should be in good taste and appropriate for the occasion and not: (a) affecting the health or safety of students, or (b) disrupting to the learning process within the classroom or school. The main torso (stomach, side, front, shoulders, or back) of the body should not be visible. Therefore, the wearing of mesh shirts would be inappropriate without an appropriate shirt worn under the mesh shirt. The wearing of garments considered as tank tops or tops with spaghetti straps is inappropriate. Waistbands shall be worn at or above the hips. Undergarments shall not be visible. Pants must be appropriately sized for width and hemmed to a safe length, not hindering a student’s ability to move about easily and safely.
2. No student shall be permitted to wear, possess or display any gang insignia or identifiers that are normally associated with a gang or gang-related activities such as, for example, gang-related colors, clothing, accessories, headwear, tattoos, medallions and jewelry.
3. No student shall be permitted to wear clothing or accessories that contain pictures and/or writing referring to alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, sexual references or symbols, profanity and/or illegal drugs.
4. Hats, coats and headwear (i.e. scarves and bandannas) are to be placed in lockers before school and taken out only when leaving the building. Hats are to be removed when in the building. The wearing of outer garments and headwear will be permitted in school vehicles and school activities when appropriate.
5. Any article of clothing or accessories that display profanity, violence, discriminatory messages, or sexually suggestive phrases are not to be worn at school activities. Accessories such as jewelry with spikes, dog collars, wallet chains, chains worn as belts, that may cause injury to another student may not be worn to school or school functions.
6. Shoes must be worn at all times. Shoes with laces should be laced and tied at all times. Safety standards will dictate the type of footwear/clothing/accessories to be worn in the classroom. Students in Tech. Ed. and Phy. Ed. are reminded that the personal safety of all students demands that appropriate footwear be worn.
This policy is in force during the school day, in school vehicles, and at all school activities.
While fashion changes, the reason for being in school does not. Students are in school to learn. Any fashion that disrupts the educational process or presents a safety risk can not be permitted. Personal expression is permitted within these general guidelines.
Students should consider the following questions when dressing for school:
• Does my clothing expose too much?
• Does my clothing advertise something that is prohibited to minors?
• Does my clothing contain obscene, profane, drug-related, or inflammatory messages?
• Is my clothing appropriate for the weather?
If there is a disagreement between students and/or parents/guardians and
the staff regarding the appropriateness of clothing, the principal or other school administrator will use his/her discretion to make the appropriate decision regarding the student’s dress.
LEGAL REFERENCE: Section 120.13(1) Wisconsin Statutes
Adopted: July 19, 2000
Posted: 11/14/2007 12:20:25 pm