May 22, 2018
Student Appearance and dress code
Responsibility for the dress and appearance of students enrolled in the Madison County School District primarily rests with parents and the students. Some student apparel, however, may not be appropriate to wear to school even though that same apparel may be appropriate to wear in other settings. To assist parents and students in making appropriate fashion and grooming decisions for school, the School Board has established the following minimal guidelines for the appearance and dress of students (Florida Statutes 1001.43(1)(b) and 1006.07(2)(d)).
The standards of appearance for students shall ensure that the students be clean, neat, and properly dressed. Students shall maintain standards of dress and personal grooming which are appropriate for the academic environment. It is the responsibility of the principal to ensure that the dress and/or appearance of any student shall not be extreme nor to the point of creating a disturbance that is hazardous to him/herself, others, or to school property, even if the specific case is not covered by the information below. The principal or principal’s designee has the final authority for interpreting whether a student’s apparel/appearance conforms to the dress code.
Note: Students attending Madison County Excel Alternative Education Center must adhere to the approved dress code described in the school’s dress code/ policy found in this Code of Conduct.
Rights
Students have the right to dress comfortably in clothing that is appropriate for school, is not dangerous to health and safety, and does not create a substantial and material disruption to the school.
Responsibilities:
(1) HEAD
- No sunglasses, hats, caps, visors, hoods or other head coverings (i.e. bonnets, wave caps, scarfs, etc.) may
be worn inside the buildings, except with administrative permission (i.e. medical necessity, religious,
school related events, outdoor activities). All hoodies must remain off the head while inside the
buildings. No bandanas may be worn at any time.
(2) UPPER GARMENTS
- Students may wear the following upper garments: shirts with or without collars, t-shirts, or button-down shirts that are any color or color pattern. These shirts may have writing or logos as long as they are deemed appropriate by school site administration. (Printed profanity or language/symbols/styles that promote the use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco products, gang-related or other illegal activities are prohibited.)
- Garments must be of a length and fit that are suitable for the build and stature of the student.
- Clothing exposing the torso or midriff, either front, back or sides shall not be worn. The following items are prohibited: halter tops, tube tops, backless dresses/tops, spaghetti straps, tank tops, one-strap/one-shoulder tops, and strapless tops.
- Garments may not be made of transparent or “see through” material. Note: If undergarments are visible the upper garment is not permitted.
- Necklines of all upper garments must be modest. Low cut necklines are prohibited, and the cut of garments must not expose undergarments or cleavage.
- Shirts must touch, at a minimum, the top portion of lower garments at all times.
- Garments that are offensive, distracting or inappropriate are prohibited, including but not limited to those with see-through materials, skintight items, pajamas, rips/tears, printed profanity, or language/symbols/styles that promote the use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco products, gang-related or other illegal activities.
(3) LOWER GARMENTS
Students may wear lower garments designed with tears or rips provided such tears or rips are below the knee. Rips/tears above the knee must be patched so that no skin is visible. Shorts, tights or any other type of undergarment worn underneath the pants are not considered patches.
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- Undergarments and the buttocks MUST remain entirely covered even while seated.
- Dresses, skirts, and shorts must be no shorter than four (4) inches above the knee.
- Leggings may only be worn under a top that is no shorter than four (4) inches above the knee.
- The waistband of pants, shorts or skirts must be worn and secured between the hips and the waist.
- Undergarments as outerwear, pajama pants, bathing suits, cheer shorts, bike shorts and spandex material bottoms are prohibited. (Examples: leggings, jeggings, tights, yoga pants, etc.)
(4) FOOTWEAR
- Students must wear shoes that are safe and appropriate for the learning environment.
- Cleats, slippers, and shoes with wheels are not permitted to be worn on campus. Cleats may be worn for appropriate extracurricular sports in proper areas
- Grades PK-8: All footwear must be “closed toe and heel”. No flip flops, sandals or “Crocs” are permitted.
(5) ACCESSORIES
- Clothing, jewelry, and accessories shall not convey messages that are: crude, vulgar/profane, violent/death-oriented, gang related, sexually suggestive, promote alcohol, drugs or tobacco.
- Jewelry or accessories, to include body piercings that pose a safety concern for the student or others are prohibited. Dog collars, wallet chains, combs, large hair picks or chains that connect one part of the body to another are prohibited.
- Blankets should not be brought to school unless approved by school administration.
NOTE: The principal or the principal’s designee has the final authority for interpreting whether a student’s apparel/appearance conforms to the dress code and hinders the education/safety of all students.
VIOLATION OF DRESS CODE
If the principal determines that a student’s clothing does not comply with Board policy, his/her parent/guardian may be asked to bring an appropriate change of clothes to school, or the student may be asked to leave an after-school activity. The student may also receive a disciplinary consequence for violating the school’s dress code policy. Repeated violations may result in progressively more serious consequences.
