Streetwise Streetwise (September 17, 2004)

Is enforcement of the school district's dress code important to you? Asked at Walnut Grove Elementary School Back to School barbecue

Sandy Christman
Mother of a 4th grade student
I don't think it's an issue in elementary schools. But as children get into middle school and high school, I think it's very important that they don't have a wide range of distractions so that they can focus on their studies.

Amy Snyder
Mother of 6th and 2nd grade students
It's important because it addresses family values. Proper dress keeps students' minds on their school work. In this day and age, sometimes clothing is a distraction for middle schoolers so it's important that they dress appropriately.

Bill Radulovich
Principal at Walnut Grove and father of a high school senior
There's no sense in having a rule that you don't enforce. By publicizing the rules early, I've noticed that the clothes students purchased this summer were chosen with the district's dress code in mind, with parents and students putting together a wardrobe that's not disruptive in a learning environment.

Sharolyn Borris
Music teacher and mother of a 4-month-old
I just heard that 10 girls at Foothill High were sent to the office because they weren't dressed appropriately. They had to go home and change or wear lost-and-found clothing. A district-wide dress code is important because kids are trying to get away with more and more.

Bud Engel
Amador High teacher for 37 years, now retired
Absolutely! In a learning environment, students need to pay attention to school work, not to other things. Teachers tell me that it's a much bigger concern now than when I was teaching just a couple of years ago.

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