Dress Code

501.03 STUDENT DRESS CODE I. PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to enhance the education of students by establishing expectations that support educational goals. Students and their families have the primary and joint responsibility for student clothing and appearance. Teachers and other district staff should exemplify and reinforce student clothing and appearance standards and help students develop an understanding of appropriate appearance in the school environment.

II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

A. A student’s clothing or appearance may not materially and substantially disrupt or interfere with the educational mission, school environment, classwork, or school activities. A student’s dress or appearance may not incite or contribute to substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of others or pose a threat to the health or safety of the student or others.

B. Students’ rights to choose their dress and appearance for school and school-related activities will be protected provided that the clothing: 1. does not injure people or damage property; 2. does not materially and substantially disrupt or interfere with the educational process or classwork; 3. does not interfere with the requirements of discipline in the operation of the school or school activities, materially disrupt classwork; 4. does not involve substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of others. Such clothing includes, but is not limited to, the following: 1. Clothing for the weather. 2. Clothing that does not create a health or safety hazard. 3. Clothing for the activity (i.e., physical education or the classroom). 4. Footwear that does not present a safety hazard. 5. Headwear, including hats, hoodies or head coverings, are allowed provided that it does not cover the student’s face to the extent that the student is not identifiable. Headgear must not interfere with the educational process. 6. Students may wear headgear that covers their face for a medical or Policy 503.03 Page 1 of 3 religious reason. 7. Hair, including but not limited to hair texture and hair styles such as braids, locks, and twists.

C. Student clothing may not include the following: 1. Clothing (including emblems, badges, symbols, signs, words, objects or pictures on clothing or jewelry) bearing a message that is lewd, vulgar, obscene, libelous, or denigrates, harasses, discriminates against others on the basis of protected class status under the Minnesota Human Rights Act, or violates school district policies prohibiting discrimination, violence, harassment, or other harmful activities. 2. Apparel promoting products or activities that are illegal for use by minors. 3. Communicating a message that is racist, sexist, or otherwise derogatory to a protected minority group, or approves, advances, or provokes any form of religious, racial, or sexual harassment and/or violence against other individuals as defined in Policy 415.00. D. The intention of this policy is not to abridge the rights of students to express political, religious, philosophical, or similar opinions by wearing clothing on which such messages are stated. Such messages are acceptable as long as they are not lewd; vulgar; obscene; libelous; do not denigrate, harass, or discriminate against others on the basis of protected class status under the Minnesota Human Rights Act; or do not violate school district policies prohibiting discrimination, bullying, violence, harassment, or other harmful activities.