DRESS CODE

The purpose of dress code and grooming policies is to ensure the health and safety of students in a supportive school environment.

· Our dress code and grooming policies are not intended to be hostile or intimidating for any student.

· Our dress code and grooming polices/practices should support student expressing without creating a hostile environment for any other student. This is important as we want all of students to feel safe and included.

· In ensuring our health and safety, we will prohibit garments and accessories that pose a risk of injury to staff or other students.

· To be inclusive of all students, our dress code policies/practices will be gender-neutral and not include gender specific language. For example, spaghetti straps or miniskirts.

· We will permit and honor any religiously or ethically specific garment or head coverings or hairstyle, including abaya, hijabs, yarmulkes, headwraps, braids, dreadlocks, and cornrows.

· We are committed to ensuring objective and fair application of the dress code policies practices.

· Staff members are not allowed to come in direct physical contact with student’s attire.

· Staff members will refrain from discussing or questioning student’s dress attire with another staff member. Our goal is to maintain student’s dignity and respect them as individuals.

· Staff members who have questions or concerns about the dress code or grooming practices/policies will need to speak directly with Principal.

· Examples of prohibited clothing include, but are not limited to:

o attire with any language or images that are vulgar, discriminatory, or obscene.

o attire that promotes illegal or violent conduct, such as the unlawful use of weapons, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or drug paraphernalia.

o attire that contains threats such as gang symbols.

o clothing that exposes cleavage, private parts, the midriff, or undergarments, or that is otherwise sexually provocative.

o sagging or low-cut pants.

· Note 1: Head coverings for bona fide religious and ethical practices are allowed.

· Note 2: Students will be permitted to wear face coverings during times of pandemic or widespread illnesses caused by viruses. Masks should only cover their mouth and nose and be appropriate. More specific guidelines may be provided by the school division in these cases with guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).

The information above is taken from the RCPS Student Code of Conduct.