BOE adopts new dress
code Untucked, beltless
OK; baggies out; trenchcoats are banned
By
PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer
Come
dressed to learn. That's the message sent
to parents and students Monday night by Fayette
County school superintendent Dr. John DeCotis
following approval of a dress code that allows
shirts to remain untucked, minus belts.
How
will a dress code make schools safer? It says
students are serious about learning,
DeCotis added. He explained that initial
proposals made by the Safety Task Force included
tucking in shirts and wearing belts to prevent
contraband such as cigarettes and weapons from
making their way into schools. Book bags will be
allowed to and from school, but must be placed in
lockers during class time. Additional lockers
have been added at the high schools.
The
board approved the revised recommendations
unanimously, following a recap of the initiatives
discussed at length by Safety Task Force
coordinator Wayne Robinson, director of secondary
school operations. Our purpose was obvious;
to provide the safest environment possible for
our students, Robinson said.
The
task force focused on preventive strategies,
fine-tuning a safety crisis plan and dress code,
and coordinating operations with law enforcement
and emergency medical personnel. Altogether,
Robinson said he received about 250 e-mails,
letters and calls from parents and students
concerning the plan, with 90 percent pinpointing
the dress code as a key element of their
concerns.
It's
a shame that the dress code became the most
important thing, Robinson said.
Some
of the ways administrators are working to make
schools safer this year include providing all
school personnel with photo identification
badges, preparing emergency flip charts for every
school to refer to in crisis, equipping schools
with emergency kits plus recommending
surveillance equipment such as digital cameras
installed at entrances, and hand-held walkie
talkies for teachers.
On
the preventive side, more emphasis will be placed
on teaching conflict resolution, identifying
students early on who have problem behavior and
developing peer mediation groups within the
schools.
The
dress code allows students to wear pants, shorts
and slacks which are appropriate in size and fit
and worn at the natural waistline. The items must
be in good repair with no holes. For safety's
sake, they must not touch the floor. Long
trenchcoats are prohibited. Uniforms can be an
option if agreed upon by each school. Faculty
members may wear jeans at the discretion of their
principals.
Board
chairman Debbie Condon said she was pleased with
the revised policy and noted that the staff had
listened to public input and responded.
The
biggest thing, the board agreed, is enforcing the
dress code.
The
board also approved changes to the student code
of conduct, tightening the language in areas such
as drug possession and paraphernalia so the rules
can withstand legal challenges, and making the
wording more concise and understandable,
according to Robinson. The code also includes a
definition and penalty for bullying.
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