Should Yoga Pants and Leggings Be Banned in Schools?

Patch File Photo

By Liz Taurasi (Patch staff)

Dress codes exist at schools throughout the Commonwealth, and at Westborough public schools, it’s no different.

However, as has been the case in many years, schools in various cities and towns throughout the state are banning the wearing of yoga pants and leggings, both of which are a staple in many young women’s wardrobes.

As the first day of school begins at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Harwich, students will not be allowed to wear uncovered yoga pants or leggings,the Cape Cod Times reported on Monday.

The decision, school Principal William Terranova told the Times, is in addition to the school’s dress code policy and that these items can be worn if they are covered by shorts or a skirt. He goes on to say the ban on both yoga pants and leggings is to help prepare students at the school for the realities of the work world come graduation.

Over the past couple of years, the issue of yoga pants and leggings in schools has become a hot topic with schools across the country making the call that they are simply not appropriate for a learning environment.

In February 2014, Rockport, MA, middle and high school banned them after teachers said they were too distracting to other students. After several students were forced to change or sent home for more appropriate clothing, the school re-examined its policy and and dropped the ban.

In 2013, a middle school in Petaluma, CA, prohibited students from wearing them, again saying they were distracting with the school’s principal saying“the appropriate attire contributes to a positive learning environment.”

Leggings and yoga pants are not banned in Westborough schools, and its dress code is up for interpretation.

It reads as such: “The Westborough Public Schools expects its students and all members of the school community to take pride in their appearance. The responsibility for the dress and appearance of the students will rest with individual students and parents. They have the right to determine how the student will dress providing that attire is not destructive to school property, complies with requirements for health and safety, and does not cause disorder or disruption. The administration is authorized to take action in instances in which individual dress does not meet the stated requirements. This does not mean that student, faculty, or parent groups may not recommend appropriate dress for school or special occasions. It means that students will not be prevented from attending school or a school function, or otherwise be discriminated against, so long as their dress and appearance meet the requirements set forth above.”

View Westborough High School’s dress code, and student handbook.

What do you think? Should leggings and yoga pants be banned in our public schools? Do you agree with those who say they are distracting? Tell us in the comments section below.