In Brick, School Starts Thursday: Do You Know The Dress Code?

Every school year a controversy erupts somewhere in the country over the enforcement of dress codes.

Yoga pants and leggings have been banned in some districts. T-shirts with various adornments and sayings often have come under fire. Some districts have instituted uniforms in public schools to settle the issue.

Do you know what the Brick school district’s dress code is? What about what will happen if a student violates it?

With summer temperatures lingering -- tempting many students to cling to summer wardrobes a little bit longer, here’s reminder of what the district’s dress code is, according to Policy 5132, “Dress and Grooming,” and Policy 5511, ”Student Dress and Grooming,” from the Brick Township School District website.

Policy 5132 states: “The Board authorizes the Superintendent to enforce school regulations prohibiting student dress or grooming practices which:

• • a. present a hazard to the health or safety of the student or to others in the school
    b. materially interfere with school work, create disorder, or disrupt the educational program
    c. cause excessive wear or damage to school property
    d. prevent the student from achieving his/her own educational objectives because of blocked vision or restricted movement.

The policy also notes: “It is the purpose of the Board in the matter of pupil grooming to enhance health and safety of the students and to avoid distractions to the educative process. It is neither the intention of the Board to usurp parental prerogative for determining appropriate grooming for their children, nor to use style, fashion or taste as a sole criteria for exclusion from instruction.”

Policy 5511 spells out in more detail what is considered acceptable school attire:

• Any apparel that overexposes the body (e.g. tank tops, tops that expose the chest, shirts with spaghetti straps, halter tops, net shirts, torn shirts, excessively ripped clothing, see-through clothing); shoulders must be significantly covered. Shirts or tops must cover the waistband of pants, shorts, or skirts with no midriff visible.
• Hats, caps, visors, sweatbands, headbands, bandannas, hoods, scarves, etc. are outerwear and not appropriate for school. These must be removed upon entering the building and will be confiscated if there are continual violations.
• Undergarments must be covered at all times. This includes bras, boxer shorts, etc.
• Students must wear appropriate footwear in specified instruction areas.
• Sunglasses are not to be worn on the face, head or neck.
• Coats and jackets are outerwear and are not to be worn in school. Students should place their coats and jackets in their lockers when they arrive at school.
• Shorts and skirts must reach to the tips of the student’s fingers when his/her arms are straight down at his/her side (should be approximately mid-thigh length).
• Clothing that displays indecent, vulgar, distractive or offensive writings, pictures and/or slogans, including but not limited to references to sex, alcohol, negative references to religion, race or ethnicity, alcohol, tobacco and/or drugs are not permitted.
• Pajamas, leisure or lounge wear, bare midriff tops, revealing tops, backless, mesh or revealing shirts, skirts, pants or short-shorts are not permitted.
• Any clothing that is likely to create a substantial and material disruption to the school environment is not permitted

Additionally, the policy states: “State Statute mandates that the following articles are considered dangerous and unlawful and would cause damage to other students or property if used inappropriately and are, therefore, not permitted: chains, spikes, cleats, pins or certain types of rings or other paraphernalia. Body piercing jewelry must be removed for Physical Education.”

“The school administration reserves the right to determine whether the student’s attire is within the limits of decency and modesty,” the policy says.

Students who violate the dress code will be given “an opportunity to conform prior to receiving disciplinary action,” the policy states. “Failure to comply with the dress code policy could lead to disciplinary action resulting in suspension.”

What are your thoughts? Tell us in the comments section below.