Dress code a likely topic during school board meeting

When the Cape Girardeau School Board meets Thursday, its agenda likely will involve revisions to the dress code.

Board member Phil Moore said it is easier to enforce solid-color polo shirts, black, tan or navy pants, skirts or shorts, and allows teachers to focus more on instruction.

Jeff Glenn, vice president, wants to add gray to the color palette. He has two children in the system, one in junior high and the other in high school.

"I felt that it wouldn't hurt us to add the color gray to the list of colors for pants and shorts, Glenn said. "It's not that big of a change, and it gives parents a little more flexibility as they're purchasing clothes that are appropriate for the dress code."

He also said the dress code should be enforced consistently "so we don't have questions from kids about whether they're compliant" and from parents wondering the same thing.

If changes are proposed Thursday, they likely will include allowing solid-colored crew neck T-shirts and prohibiting sheer tops.

Central Junior High School principal Carla Fee, who attended a recent planning session, said teachers and students are reminded that everyone has to be treated consistently. However, Fee said, they have struggled with jackets.

"We continually remind students that if they're wearing a jacket, they have to be dress code-conformant underneath," she said.

In May, Sherry Copeland, assistant superintendent for academic services, said the 2012-2013 school year was the first for the dress code. The idea came up in an administrators' meeting because students dressing inappropriately was a continuing problem.

The policy was implemented after a process that included a committee, open meetings, modeling of dress code clothing by the students and a chance to ask questions, Copeland said. Inappropriate dress meant no sagging pants, low-cut tops or tight jeans.

"It was causing ... a distraction in the classrooms," Copeland said of the inappropriate clothing.

Copeland said the transition went surprisingly well.

"I think the biggest surprise for parents is how much cheaper it was than purchasing regular school clothes like in the past, because they found out they could get by with three shirts and a couple pairs of pants, so it was really a cost savings." she said.

One tweak -- adding cargo pants and shorts -- was made for the 2013-2014 school year. Some stores offered coupons when the dress code started, and a uniform shop at Town Plaza tried to have more stock on hand. Clothing drives also were held.

Copeland said the main complaints came from new arrivals to the district.

"Typically we give those students two weeks to get into dress code, and those students that come in don't really like it. Our students are used to it, so there's no sense in complaining because we know we are going to be strict in that," Copeland said.

The policy is enforced by teachers and administrators, and violations come with punishments that depend on the building and student age level. Early in the morning is when most of the catches are made, she said.

Fewer violations occur at elementary schools than the middle, junior high and high school. If it's an elementary-school violation, it's the parents' fault, Copeland said.

If a student arrives out of dress code, clothing can be loaned to him or her for the day. At elementary buildings, parent liaisons play a part in maintaining what they call the clothing closet.

If students are homeless, "we have stock to where we would give them a couple of shirts and a couple pair of pants," Copeland said.

"We even have done laundry at school for kids. We really try to realize that our students come from [a] variety of backgrounds, so those students who are more at-risk, we try to help them because we don't want them concentrating on clothes. That was the purpose of putting the dress code in. We want them concentrating on school," she said.

Dress code for teachers

It's not only students who have to watch what they wear. Teachers also have restrictions, Copeland said, and "we expect them to dress like professionals."

Jeans and flip-flops, shorter dresses and see-through tops are frowned upon. However, if there are play days, a field trip, a spirit day or fundraising day, where teachers pay $1 to wear jeans, that's a different story.

Also, if a teacher is in an instruction area such as welding, PE or coaching, they are excused, but still have to wear the same shirts.

The flip-flops, although popular, can be dangerous, Copeland said. Teachers should wear comfortable, practical shoes.

"I'm old-school. I will admit that. I think a lot of times your dress indicates how kids will act in a classroom," Copeland said. "If you're dressed professionally, they know this is a professional class; if you're in jeans a lot of time, it's more laid back and the kids aren't as serious. Kids kind of pick up on that."

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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