Student Appearance

STUDENT APPEARANCE

The administration is responsible for interpreting the appropriateness of student attire. Excellence begins with everyone being clean and suitably dressed for school.  Therefore, any attire/displays that are not conducive to an educational setting or are contrary to the goals of the West Ottawa School District are not permitted.  Examples of inappropriate items include tight or revealing garments, or clothing that interrupts daily student life, implies hate/violence/intimidation towards others or is otherwise disruptive.  Also, any clothing or items that imply an obscenity or are related to drugs, alcohol, gangs, or tobacco will not be allowed at school.  

To ensure effective and equitable enforcement of this dress code, school staff shall enforce the dress code consistently and in a manner that does not reinforce or increase marginalization or oppression of any person.

Listed below are guidelines to clarify dress expectation.

Students are required to wear:

Clothing that provides appropriate coverage, including tops, bottoms and shoes

Students may wear:

• Hats  - Hats must allow the face to be visible to staff, and not interfere with the line of sight of any student or staff

• Religious headwear

• Hoodie sweatshirts (wearing the hood overhead is allowed, but the face and ears must be visible to school staff).

• Fitted pants, including opaque leggings, yoga pants and “skinny jeans”

• Pajamas

• Ripped jeans, as long as underwear and buttocks are not exposed

• Athletic attire

• Shorts of appropriate length

Students may not wear:

• Bandanas

• Violent language or images. 

• Shirts and tops: 

  • Without a front, back, sides, or straps/sleeves

  • With exposed undergarments

  • With low-cut necklines.

• Pants:

  • That sag to expose undergarments

  • That are not of an appropriate length for a professional setting

• Images or language depicting/suggesting drugs, alcohol, gangs, vaping or paraphernalia (or any illegal item or activity). 

• Hate speech, profanity, pornography. 

• Images or language that creates a hostile or intimidating environment

• Any clothing that reveals visible undergarments

• Swimsuits or similarly sized clothing (except as required in class or athletic practice). 

• Accessories that could be considered dangerous or could be used as a weapon. 

• Any item that obscures the face or ears (except as a religious observance or as personal protective equipment).

Students whose dress causes a substantial disruption of the orderly process of school functions or endangers the health or safety of the student, other students, staff or others may be subject to discipline.

If there is any doubt about dress and appearance, the building administration will make the final decision.

MASB 8240