Dress+Code

__ Dress Code __
 * As in any professional situation, one’s appearance should be tasteful and respectful. Students are expected to come to school with appropriate attire. Shoes must be worn at all times. Shirts must not display any violence, swear words, racial or ethnic slurs, or any sexual innuendos. Additionally, shirts must meet and overlap with bottoms to ensure no bare midriffs or undergarments are showing. No deep neckline shirts are permitted. If tank tops are to be worn, the straps must abide to a 4-finger width rule. However, no undergarment tank tops are permitted for either sex. Shorts that are worn must be “Bermuda style” with regards to their length. For this reason, shorts must be near knee length (no more than 3 inches above the knee), but are encouraged to be longer. Hats/bandanas are not to be worn in the building during school hours, regardless of sex. Make-up and body art/jewelry should be limited to one pair of earrings, one necklace/chain, no more than two rings, no more than two bracelets. This is to ensure no excessive display of jewelry or to cause distractions by noise/appearance/size, etc. **

//__ Situation __//// : A male student comes into class one morning wearing an undergarment tank top. Although he is a male and boys are typically found wearing such a tank top, his shirt clearly breaks the dress code policy. //

//__ How to React __//// : As a teacher, you are the person in power and in control of the classroom. It is your duty to enforce the rules and attend to situations as they arise. Thus, this student is clearly in violation of the dress code and action must be taken. It is not necessary to humiliate the student in front of the other classmates. Pull the student aside and make it known that his tank top is not following the rules. Make him aware that the shirt is considered an undergarment and is not appropriate for the classroom. Also make the student aware that these tank tops should be worn // under //their clothing, but not as a shirt, itself. Additionally, you should ask the student if he has another shirt or jacket with him that he can put over his tank top. Ensure that the student understands how equality must remain in the class and that this type of clothing is not allowed for either boys or girls. Finally, if he admits to not having another change of clothing, it will be necessary that the student phones a parent to have another piece of clothing brought to him. If any resistance arises, please refer to the advice below.// //__ Why should the students care about the dress code __//// ? It will be no surprise if a student tries to insist that they should be allowed to wear what they have on, even if it inflicts with the dress code. Nonetheless, students need to be made aware of the consequences of their appearance. Much of the intent for having a dress code in the first place is to keep the focus in school on their academics and less on their looks. Students need to know the importance of taking pride in their body and the way they are perceived. Dressing seductively and risqué, unfortunately, asks for unwanted and unnecessary attention from classmates. Kids also need to be aware of the implications of their appearance and how one is constantly being judged by the way they dress. It needs to be made clear that one’s body is one’s personal property and should be treated respectfully. We all need to take care in the way we dress and the way in which we demand certain attention. //