Administration introduces new Dress Code policy
A newly-implemented disciplinary policy requires students out of uniform, for a variety of valid reasons, to go to the dean and get a student uniform pass like the one pictured above. The pass is worn around the neck of the student, and is meant to stick out.
For the 2016-2017 school year, a new policy is in effect that encourages students who are out of uniform for a variety of reasons, including wearing sneakers for medical purposes or losing some part of their uniform, to go to Dean of Students Brian Powell and get a pass that acknowledges that the student is out of dress code.
The pass is a laminated index card attached to a lanyard and is to be worn around the student’s neck.
“We implemented this policy because there are too many students walking around without documentation,” Powell said.
Students who are out of uniform for medical reasons have a two-week exemption from the normal dress code. After those two weeks, they are required to consult with the administration and the school nurse to “find a uniform shoe, shirt, or pant that is medically acceptable and uniform compliant.”
According to Powell, “this [policy] removes any ambiguity about who can be out of uniform and who can be – it’s all for clarity.”
Powell also commented that students who use the dress code passes will be exempted from punishment unless they are considered to be abusing the new policy.
Sophomore Chris Roberts believes this policy will help to enforce the dress code. “It might make people mad, but people shouldn’t be wearing tennis shoes,” Roberts said.
Powell also said that the purpose of the new rule is to not only discourage students from breaking dress code, but also to avoid any confusion in the disciplinary process for students out of uniform.
“[Students] didn’t seek permission to be out of uniform so we decided to just have a very nice, bright visual student uniform pass,” Powell said.
Senior Logan Moore believes that the uniform passes should be something more discreet. “They could use something less noticeable, because the passes the way they are now are singling out certain students,” Moore said.
Junior Ashlee Kothenbeutel agrees with Moore and suggests that, “those who have permanent problems should be given some special pin to put on their skirt or polo that’s small enough not to be a nuisance.”
Elizabeth Harmison is an In-Focus Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.