School Board awaits survey results before acting on dress code

The fate of what female students characterized as a sexist dress code policy may rest with a survey being carried out by the student newspaper, The Inlet, which puts out a newsletter every two weeks. 

An hour-long public hearing Monday night on a dress code policy proposal, the subject of months of discussion by students, Board of Education members and administrators, had students packing the meeting room.

Most of the page-long proposal referred to limits on what females could wear, they said, referring to how much skin a student could expose. “This is just about showing skin and mostly aimed at women,” said student Elisa Mae Brigham.

The worst part of a dress code is being singled out in front of classmates and being sent to the office and then having the “embarrassment” of having to walk back to the classroom, Lily Brigham said. 

Board of Education President Kathleen Lynch had started the hearing with an announcement that the policy was to be voted on that night, but learning about the student survey,  agreed if 11th grader Jackson Rohrer, editor of the student paper, was willing to let the burden rest on his paper’s finding — and he said he was — a vote would be delayed pending the results.

Board members maintained that part of their role was to protect students and prepare them for the professional world they would be entering. Superintendent Brian Doelger, Ed.D., part of the revised plan was to take the decisions out of the hands of classroom teachers who said they didn’t want to be in the position of calling out students for their appearance.

Instead, that role would fall to administrators and School Nurse Mary Kanarvogel, who could often provide something appropriate to cover the clothing considered not fitting for school.

“All students are expected to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to dress appropriately for school and for school functions,” the proposed code reads.

Clothes that have “an expression or insignia that is disruptive, obscene or libelous or which advocates prejudice — including but not limited to ethnic, racial or religious issues — are forbidden,” according to the proposed code.

Of eight specific stipulations, students primarily voiced objections to one that would ban “extremely brief garments such as tube tops, net tops, halter tops. crop tops, spaghetti tops, plunging necklines (front and/or back, and see-through garments are not appropriate. Shorts and skirts must reach at least mid-thigh or longer.”

Parent Norma Clark, a mother of sons, noted there’s an economic aspect to the proposal in that it could require purchasing clothing that students wouldn’t wear outside of school, and with what stores are showing, some clothing considered appropriate can be difficult to find.

Board member Anthony Rando noted different teachers reacted to what they would allow in their classrooms, necessitating moving a decision from them. Board member Molly Kendall told the female students she was proud of them for advocating for themselves.

Another speaker asked if the Board of Education members and administrators had considered school uniforms, prompting laughter to fill the room. Ms. Lynch said she would love that, noting when students take trips off campus to school functions, they generally wear identical shirts with school identity.

While a vote was delayed, the Board told students until a vote is taken, the proposed code would be enforced.