221. STUDENT DRESS AND GROOMING

A. Purpose

The Board of Education is committed to providing in the School District of Philadelphia a safe and secure environment conducive to learning.  Parents and community partners are agreed that school uniforms are an effective strategy for improving behavior and discipline, improving school climate, focusing students' attention on learning, promoting school spirit and pride, and decreasing access of trespassers to schools during class time.
 

B. Authority
 

1. Act 46 of 1998 authorizes the Board of Education to impose limitations on dress and require students to wear standard dress or uniforms.  Resolution B-6 dated May 8, 2000 represents the Board's exercise of the authority.

C. Delegation of Responsibility

1. The Board of Education's Facilities/Purchasing and EEO Committees will develop guidelines that define the appropriate relationship between school uniform suppliers and schools.

2. A committee of stakeholders including members of the Board, School District administrators, parents, teachers, and students will recommend to the full Board the terms of an amended dress code, including implementation strategies and disciplinary measures for school and student noncompliance.

3. School principals will team with school councils, home and school associations, other in-school/parent and teacher organizations, and student leaders, to monitor and enforce compliance with the dress code.

4. Dress Code

1. Grooming and Personal Safety

(a) Students are expected to show good judgment and show respect for themselves and others in their dress and grooming.

(b) Excessively dirty and/or torn clothing may not be worn in school.

(c) Students shall, when present in areas where the possibility of injury to the student or to others exists, such as near rotating machinery, power tools, or chemicals, wear appropriate protective clothing, gloves, eye goggles, and/or other devices needed for health and safety.

(d) Students participating in sports may be required to wear protective clothing and to change hairstyles for their safety and the safety of others.

(e) Bare or stockinged feet are not permitted in schools, outside of locker rooms.

(f) Non-prescription sunglasses, hats, clothing that exposes armpits, a bare back or midriff, see-through clothing, and accessories with protruding metal spikes are not to be worn in school.

2. Standard dress or uniforms

In the interest of supporting the general welfare of the school community and its education program, the Board of Education has adopted a mandatory, district-wide school uniform policy. "Uniform" is defined as clothing of the same style and /or color and, therefore, encompasses clothing of a standard look, particularly at the high school level.

(a) During school year 2000-2001, each school will determine the styles and colors of dress to be worn by students attending the school

(b) All students are expected to dress in the manner adopted by their schools effective November 2000.

(c) Effective September 2001, all students shall be required to dress in the manner adopted by their schools, or be subject to corrective measures specific to this policy.  Principals and their designees charged with enforcement of a school's dress policy shall use reasonable discretion and judgment.  A student may not be disciplined for non-compliance where, for example, his or her otherwise conforming top is a different shade of the color adopted by the school for its uniform.

3. Footwear and Outerwear

1. Shoes

Boots, flat-heeled dress shoes and enclosed toe sandals and athletic shoes are permitted at all levels.

2. Outerwear

Coats and raingear are not covered by this policy.  A student's choice of such clothing, will not be disturbed, providing it is not emblazoned with vulgar or obscene words or pictures, or badges or slogans disruptive of school order or which encourage illegal acts.

D. Implementation Supports

1. Schools are encouraged to establish a source of clothing that disadvantaged students may draw on.  Such students may select at least two of each required item from this source.  The identity of the child or family accessing the source because of their status shall not be disclosed.  Funding to support this resource may be drawn from undesignated student activity funds, community donations, and other sources available to the school.

2. Each school may open a uniform bank for receipt of donated, new or used uniforms, and substitute clothing to be loaned on a daily basis to non-compliant students.  Any student allowed to borrow an item of clothing from the bank in order to become compliant shall be required to return it, washed, the following school day.

E. Corrective Measures

1. Students who fail to dress as required by his/her school's uniform policy may be subject to corrective measures, as follows:

a) Parents shall be called when a student reports to school out of uniform.  The parent shall be asked to bring compliant clothing for the student to the school.

b) If the parents are not reachable or are unable to respond within two hours of the start of the school day, the student may be issued a conforming top from the school's uniform bank with directions to return it clean the next school day.

c) Parents whose child or children repeatedly report to school out of uniform will be called in for a conference with the principal, or his/her designee, to ascertain the reason for the non-compliance.  Eligible families will be offered access to the uniform bank, if any.  If the school does not have a source of assistance for the family, the counselor will notify school support personnel.

1. Students who, without reasonable excuse, persistently fail to comply with the school's uniform policy may be subject to disciplinary action, as follows:

a) Assignment to after school service, including but not limited to, maintenance of the uniform bank, or after school detention;

b) loss of privileges, including, but not limited to, graduation ceremonies, class trips, dances, other extra curricular activities such as athletic participation

c) suspension or revocation of network user accounts;

d) placement on daily report; and

e) temporary assignment to a restrictive class, if available.

2. A student who refuses to change into the uniform brought to school by his/her parent or to wear the substituted clothing loaned to him or her from the school's uniform bank, may be disciplined by detention for defiance of school authority.  Students who repeatedly refuse to wear the clothing made available under this part may be reassigned to another school.

G. Nothing in this policy shall be construed to restrict or ban a student's wearing of religious garb.  Parents having religion-based concerns regarding a school's dress policy are encouraged to discuss them with the principal of his or her child's school. References:

Pennsylvania Code 22, Section 12.11(b)(c)