It is the policy of this school district that students shall dress in a manner which is appropriate for an effective educational environment. While recognizing the importance of allowing students to express their individuality through their attire, the school is responsible for ensuring that student dress is conducive to a positive and respectful environment for all students. All students are, therefore, required to dress in a manner that promotes a safe and healthy school environment, and is not disruptive of the educational climate and process.
PROHIBITIONS
The following prohibitions will be enforced when the student is on school premises or at any school sponsored event, regardless of location:
1. Students are prohibited from wearing or carrying, clothing, accessories or jewelry, or displaying piercings or tattoos, which, by picture, symbol, or word, depict or allude to any of the following:
a. Drug usage, including alcohol and tobacco;
b. Controlled substances of any kind;
c. Drug paraphernalia;
d. Gangs;
e. Violence;
f. Sexually explicit, lewd, indecent, or offensive material; or
g. Illegal acts.
2. If the building administrator or designee has a reasonable belief that gang activity is or may be present in the school, students are prohibited from wearing, using, or carrying, any clothing, jewelry, or other attire or accessories, or displaying tattoos, emblems, symbols, signs, or codes, which are evidence of membership or affiliation in any gang.
3. Students are prohibited from wearing clothing which reveals a student’s breasts, abdomen, buttocks, and undergarments.
4. Students are prohibited from wearing head coverings in school buildings during class hours, except as may specifically be authorized by the building administrator or designee. Head coverings based on religious dress and practices will be allowed.
5. Students are required to wear shoes or other footwear in school buildings, unless the building administrator or designee indicates otherwise.
6. The building administrator or designee may identify additional dress code requirements to address specific needs within a building or for a specific activity.
UNIFORM
This School District may elect to require gender neutral uniforms to provide additional opportunities for increased school safety, to encourage students to experience a greater sense of school identity and belonging, to encourage an improvement in student behavior, and to encourage a high level of program participation. If uniforms are not gender neutral, students shall be allowed to choose the uniform consistent with their gender identity or gender expression consistently asserted at school.
Whenever school uniforms are required, they must be worn at the time of arrival to school until departure from school. Schools wishing to enact a uniform requirement shall bring a proposal to the board, setting forth the type of clothing and colors to be worn and identify how requiring uniforms will provide students with additional opportunities for increased school safety, encourage students to experience a greater sense of school identity and belonging, encourage an improvement in student behavior, and to encourage a high level of program participation.
Upon receipt of a school’s uniform proposal, the board will determine whether it will achieve its purposes and either approve or deny the uniform request.
DISCIPLINE
Disciplinary actions for violation of this policy may include suspension and/or expulsion.
ACTIVITY DAYS
The building administrator or designee may determine appropriate attire options for special activity days.
DEFINITIONS
1. “Controlled substance” includes, but is not limited to, opiates; opium derivatives; hallucinogenic substances, including cocaine, and cannabis and synthetic equivalents of the substances contained in the plant; any material, compound, mixture, or preparation with substances having a depressant effect on the central nervous system; and stimulants.
2. “Drug” includes any alcohol or malt beverage, any inhalant, any tobacco product, any controlled substance as defined above, any illegal substance, any look-alike or counterfeit drug, any medication not approved and registered by the school authorities, and/or any substance which is intended to alter mood.
3. “Drug paraphernalia” includes all equipment, products, and materials of any kind which are used, intended for use, or designated for use, in planting, propagating, cultivating, growing, harvesting, manufacturing, compounding, converting, producing, processing, preparing, testing, analyzing, packaging, repackaging, storing, containing, injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing into the human body a controlled substance as defined in this policy.
4. “On school premises or at any school-sponsored activity, regardless of location” includes, but is not limited to, buildings and grounds on the school campus, school buses, school parking areas, and the location of any school-sponsored activity.
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LEGAL REFERENCE:
Idaho Code Section 33-512 (Governance of Schools)
ADOPTED: February 16, 2022
AMENDED: