School board to discuss dress code issues

Debra Wilson, director of Shawnee’s Jim Thorpe Academy, will discuss with Shawnee board of education members tonight the possibility of adding to the school’s dress code for the 2008-09 school year.
The board will meet in regular session at 7 p.m. at 326 N. Union.
A proposed draft for the 2008-09 student handbook is included in the board’s agenda, and reads that dress codes “and school uniforms have been used by schools and supported by federal courts as a way to increase student discipline and improve school safety.”
Dress codes and school uniforms “improve the learning environment, eliminate gang attire and competition among gangs and communicates to students that school is a place of learning,” the draft reads.
The indicated dress code is as follows for shirts:
• Must have a collar and may be either oxford or polo style;
• May be long- or short-sleeved;
• Must be solid white, black, gray or navy blue;
• Must be tucked in; may be accompanied by a white T-shirt worn underneath; and
• May be worn with a tie, if oxford style.
The indicated dress code is as follows for sweaters:
• May be cardigan, vest, crew or V-neck style;
• Must be solid white, black, gray, khaki or navy blue;
• Must be worn with an approved collared shirt; and
• May be worn like a sweater if they are of an approved color, are worn over an approved shirt and are without logos or advertising.
The indicated dress code is as follows for pants, skirts and shorts:
• Must be worn with a belt if belt loops are present;
• Belts must be black or brown and must have an appropriate buckle;
• Must be solid navy blue, khaki, white, black or gray;
• Skirts and shorts must be knee-length; and
• Pants, shorts and skirts must fit and be worn at waist level.
No jeans of any color may be worn, the draft reads, and no sleepwear or undergarment may be worn as an outer garment. Attire that reveals the chest or exposes a bare midriff, bodice or abdomen is prohibited.
The indicated dress code is as follows for shoes:
• No open-toe or open-heel sandals allowed, and no flip-flops allowed;
• Shoes must be black, brown, gray, navy blue or white; and
• Shoestrings must match shoes — no other colors allowed.
The indicated dress code is as follows for coats:
• Sports coats, blazers or dress jackets may be worn in the classroom;
• Sports coats, blazers or dress jackets must be black, navy blue, white, gray or khaki; and
• Outer coats, jackets and hoodies may not be worn in the building.
The draft goes on to indicate that no article of clothing may bear advertising or sports logos, and no headgear is allowed in the building. “Headgear” includes hats, visors, stocking caps, bandanas, headbands or other head covering.
No sunglasses may be worn in the building, the draft reads, and no student may carry a bandana or wear inappropriate jewelry or belt buckles.
The draft also reads that the following are not allowed:
• Articles of clothing, jewelry or haircuts depicting gangs, satanic occults, violence, sex, drugs and alcohol, tobacco, mutilation or language that could be considered obscene, vulgar or ethnically discriminatory.
In other business tonight, school board members will address personnel matters; will consider the approval of an auditing contract; and will consider professional leave for Stephanie Canada for the purpose of serving as a U.S. Department of Education teacher ambassador fellow. Canada, a teacher at Will Rogers Elementary School, was voted Oklahoma’s Teacher of the Year for 2007-08.
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Jason Smith may be reached at 214-3932 or william.j.smith@news-star.com.