Keeping them covered Keeping them covered (August 27, 2004)

District works toward dress code that is enforceable
by Teresa C. Brown

Saggy pants may be hip, but as far as school administrators are concerned, students can leave that fashion hanging in the closet.

The Pleasanton Unified School District board of trustees discussed Tuesday the district's dress code regulation in an effort to modify it into an enforceable policy.

The revisions would help school administrators enforce the code, said Rich Puppione, director of Pupil Services.

Parent Paty Keiser spoke out in support of the discussion, adding that she felt the dress code enforcement had "deteriorated" over the years and that the current dress code was not being enforced.

Explaining that she had spoken to other parents, she said, "We want to help in some way."

This problem is not just at high schools, Trustee Kris Weaver said, it is also an issue at the middle and elementary schools.

The suggested changes included prohibiting sagging pants. "If it's showing underwear, it's a violation of the dress code," Puppione said.

To prevent students from wearing their underwear lower on the hip, Puppione said another part of the code would require that pants be worn at the waist. "That is clear enough for everyone how to wear their pants."

Weaver questioned the sagging-pants section. "Are we really going to enforce that pants must be worn at the waist?" She explained that while she was in favor of a dress code, the approved code needs to be enforced or "it's a waste of our time."

Board President Gloria Fredette humorously echoed Weaver's concern, asking whether any man actually wears his pants at his waist.

Another revision included prohibiting clothing that exposes too much skin. "If it's showing the midriff or is (open) on the side showing the torso, it's not acceptable," Puppione said.

The current policy already forbids wearing tank tops, tube tops, halter tops, off-the-shoulder or low-cut blouses and dresses.

Tops with shoulder straps less than 2 inches wide would also be prohibited, Puppione said.

"I went through my own closet and I have a number of things that wouldn't pass this dress code," Weaver said. "You can have 2 inches here," she said, indicating her shoulders, "and still have a lot of skin showing."

"One suggestion I have," Weaver continued, "I would be in favor of getting rid of this 2-inch thing and saying what you don't want to see."

She explained that teen-age girls have told her they would rather be told what the administrators do not want the girls to show and let the girls decide how to cover up. Tell them not to show the midriff, cleavage and their backs, she said.

Weaver also brought up the issue of out-of-class school activities. If the dress code is enforced at all school-sponsored activities, does that also mean events like dances and school registration, she asked.

"Maybe they need to say the dress code is dress code unless there is a special event," said Superintendent John Casey. If students come to a dance, there is a dress code expectation, he added.

In regard to events such as dances, administrators could give dress code expectations to students, Puppione said.

In addition to clothing worn, the draft policy also included verbiage relating to accessories. Items such as backpacks, jewelry, notebooks and patches could not have ethnic or racial slurs; could not be gang related; be vulgar or sexually suggestive; or promote products students cannot legally purchase, such as alcohol, tobacco or drug products.

Recalling a purse she saw recently replicating a scantily clad female torso, Fredette added that purses should be included in the list of accessories.

The district needs to set the expectations and be consistent with it and enforce it, Casey told the trustees, adding that the district staff would revise the draft with the suggestions and would bring it back at a later board meeting.

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