Student Dress Expectations

STUDENT DRESS EXPECTATIONS

Students are expected to comply with the Emanuel County School’s Dress Code while in attendance at school. This includes wearing items in the adopted school dress code. This policy addresses requirements for normal school days and dress down/spirit days. The appearance of students should be reasonable and not distracting to others.  Students are expected and required to show proper attention to personal hygiene, neatness, and conservative standards of dress and appearance.  When questionable the school principal or the principal’s designee will make the final determination of whether a student’s attire or appearance is in conflict with the system policy.  Students will observe the following dress code both at school and on the school bus: 

The following mandatory standards for student attire have been developed and are applicable to all middle and high schools.

Girls:  The basic clothing for girls in sixth through twelfth grades shall consist of a long or short-sleeved white, black, grey, or khaki (or other color designated by the school) collared, polo or oxford style shirt with khaki, or black skirt, shorts, slacks, Capri pants, or skorts. Polo shirt-dresses are not permitted. The skirts, shorts, slacks, capri pants, or skorts should be made of standard twill, cotton, or polyester material. See bullets below for description. No tears, rips, or holes in clothing.

Boys:  The basic clothing for boys in sixth through twelfth grade shall consist of a long or short sleeved white, black, grey, or khaki (or other color designated by the school) collared, polo or oxford style shirt with khaki, or black shorts or slacks.  The shorts or slacks should be made of standard twill, polyester, or cotton dress material. See bullets below for description.  No tears, rips, or holes in clothing.

1. Pants must be solid khaki, or black pants/slacks, shorts, skirts, skorts, or capri pants (no knit pants, leggings, footless tights, jogging, exercise/yoga; no zippers or other ornamentation on pant legs or skirts or any other part of the outfit.) Clothes must be worn and belted at the natural waist, made of standard dress material (cotton, polyester and /or twill) and pants legs must not drag the floor.  No denim jeans, skirts, shorts, etc.  Shorts, skorts, and skirts must be no more than 2 inches above the knee cap. Athletic shorts, skinny jeans/pants, leggings, or jeggings are not acceptable.  
2. Tops must be solid white, black, gray or khaki polo or oxford or the designated school color. Shirts with official collegiate logos may be worn. Shirts can have insignia no larger than a standard credit card. Shirts longer than 3 inches below the natural waist must be tucked in.  No more than two chest pockets on shirts. T-shirts may be worn if they are school spirit shirts or school-sanctioned club shirts.  Hoodies may be worn as long as they meet the color guidelines or they are school spirit gear or school-sanctioned club. Under the shirt, students can wear solid white, black, or school color undershirt, camisoles, or turtleneck.
3. Shoes- Students are required to wear safe and appropriate shoes at all times.  No bedroom shoes, heelies, stilettos, high heels (heels no taller than 3 inches) or similar type shoes are allowed at school.   Flips flops and athletic shoes are not permissible in lab settings.
4. Tights, socks, or hose must be solid, neutral, black, white, grey or chosen school color. 
5. No hats, sun visors, scarves, rollers, sweatbands on head, bandannas, hoods, caps or sunglasses may be worn in the building.
6. Any clothing, jewelry, hair, make-up, fingernails, or any other item which causes a disruption of the school environment may be banned at the discretion of the principal.  Visible tattoos cannot show nudity, vulgarity, or gang related images.
7. No visible body piercing except ears or a small stud in the nose. Students are not permitted to wear mouth grills and fronts or have nose bars, chains, or gauges.
8. No torn or ripped clothing of any fashion where skin or undergarments are exposed will be allowed.
9. The dress code shall not prohibit students from wearing coats, jackets and sweaters when necessary due to weather conditions.  Trench coats and dusters are not permitted. Hoodies are not considered cold weather gear and must meet the requirements listed above.
10. The following guidelines must be followed regarding jackets: 
    1. Cold weather gear (jackets, coats, wraps) to be worn over clothes. 
11. Acceptable colors are solid gold, white, red, black, grey, khaki, brown or a combination of these colors i.e. Letterman jackets.
12. Cannot bear inappropriate messages
13. Cannot be a Trench coat or duster
14. Must be deemed appropriate by the principal
15. It cannot bear a logo or name brand symbol or other insignia or message larger than the size of a standard credit card.
16. Articles of clothing that may be worn over the shirt (i.e. polo, crew neck sweatshirt, turtle neck, or current year school spirit shirt) include jackets, windbreakers, sleeveless V-neck or crew neck sweater vests, long or short sleeve pullover V-neck or crew neck sweaters, cardigan sweaters, long sleeve or sleeveless V-neck or crew neck wind shirts, V-neck or cardigan sweatshirts, or fleece garments of the same type.  The outer garment, not including cold weather gear detailed above, must meet school color guidelines.
17. If the extra garment has a hood, the hood cannot be worn in the building.
18. Prints, plaids, camouflage and other patterns or designs are not acceptable\
19. Garments that can be worn under a polo, oxford, the current year school spirit shirt or crew neck sweatshirt are: 
    1. A solid white, solid black, or second school color undershirt or camisole
    2. Solid white, black or solid school color turtle neck
20. Extreme hair color/style that causes a disruption, or interferes with the learning environment will not be allowed.  Hair must be a natural shade or tone, no extreme colors i.e. blue, pink, purple, and green, etc.  No mohawks.  
21. Clothes should be in the correct size to avoid sagging.
22. Belts must be plain style solid color black, brown, tan, navy or white and worn inside the belt loops. They should not have oversized, ornate buckles or buckles that bear offensive messages.  
23. This policy prohibits students from wearing or displaying expressive items on the clothing that may contribute to disruption by substantially interfering with discipline or with the rights of others.  It also prohibits items that undermine the integrity of the policy, notwithstanding their expressive nature, such as a sweatshirt or other over-shirt that bears a message and/or covers or replaces the type of shirt required by the policy.
24. On special occasions schools will be allowed to have dress down days.  The principal at each school will determine the dress down days for that site.  Acceptable dress for dress down days will be consistent with the dress code as published in this policy and in the Emanuel County Student and Parent Handbook. 
25. Schools should strive for full compliance using positive reinforcement.  Corrective action should only be used when all positive measures have been exhausted. 
26. High School students who participate in pathway programs that have prescribed uniform requirements may wear those uniforms throughout the school day provided that the uniforms meet the individual program requirements.

 

Guidelines for Dress Down Days

1. Hair should be fixed in an appropriate manner.  No extreme colors (i.e., pink, blue, etc.) or mohawks are acceptable. Hair must be a natural shade or tone.  In addition, no hats, caps, sun visors, combs, scarves, rollers or bandannas are to be worn.    Sunglasses may not be worn inside.  (Exceptions can be made with the principal for prescription glasses.)
2. No see-through garments; sheer see-through, or mesh see-through garments.  Proper and acceptable undergarments will be worn at all times.  Undergarments should not be visible to others.
3. Shirts may be unbuttoned three buttons down for polo shirts and only 2 buttons down for all other.  No skin may be shown between the button line and the belt line.  No midriff type clothing is allowed.
4. Clothing such as belts, flaps, etc., must be buttoned or buckled.   No chains or chained wallets.
5. Dresses, skirts, shorts, skorts, culottes, and other similar garments shall be no more than 2 inches above the knee cap or reach the end of the middle finger tips (measurement will be taken from top of the slit). 
6. Students are required to wear safe and appropriate shoes at all times.  No bedroom shoes, heelies, stilettos, high heels (heels no taller than 3 inches) or similar type shoes are allowed at school.   Flips flops and athletic shoes are not permissible in lab settings.
7. Tank shirts and halter tops are not to be worn.  Cleavage must not show - no low cut clothing.  Sundresses that are cut low in the front or lower than the shoulder blades in the back are not allowed.  No cut-out areas in sundresses are allowed.
8. No clothing or jewelry bearing advertisements of alcohol or tobacco products or offensive, obscene, or vulgar language will be allowed.  The Emanuel County Board of Education interprets this to include references of a sexual nature, either symbolic or implied; references to contraception; and insufficiently attired caricatures of individuals.  Any clothing, jewelry, hair, make-up, fingernails, or any other item which causes a disruption of the school environment may be banned at the discretion of the principal.  Visible tattoos cannot show nudity, vulgarity, or gang related images.
9. All shirts that are three inches below the natural waist must be tucked into pants. (Exceptions may be made for seasonal jackets, coats, sweaters and sweatshirts of appropriate size that are in accordance with the policy).  No trench coats.
10. Pants legs must not drag the floor.  Students are expected to wear clothing in a normal fashion.  For example, shorts/pants must be worn with the waistband around the waist. Athletic shorts, leggings, jeggings, or exercise/yoga pants are not permitted.

The principal shall have the authority to interpret dress code and make case by case determinations for the appropriateness of dress which is questionable or which is not covered in this policy.

 

Compliance

The correction plan below has been established to address incidents of noncompliance to the Dress Code Policy.

Incident #1. Warning, parental contact, and remedy clothing

Incident #2. Loss of privileges, after-school detention, or ISS

Incident #3. Violation will be addressed in accordance with the Code of Conduct which provides for various consequences depending on a student's discipline record and the severity of the offense.

No student will be considered non-compliant with the dress code policy under the following conditions:

1. During the first 2 weeks after a student transfers from another system 
2. When the principal authorizes dress down days or gives special permission-
3. When instructors/advisors have obtained permission through the principal and require students to dress in uniforms such as band, JROTC, sports teams, etc.