Northside Middle School

DRESS AND GROOMING

Appropriate dress, grooming, neatness, and cleanliness are attributes that should be encouraged for they can affect the education of the individual and the group. It is in this spirit that reasonable standards are established. It is impossible to devise a policy that covers all situations; and generally speaking, good common sense is usually the best guide for deciding on appropriateness of appearance. The school administration will make the final judgment as to whether or not student attire is appropriate. There are a few guidelines that need special clarification. The administration and staff will be enforcing the following dress values:

1. Clothing should be worn that adequately covers the body at all times including the back, chest and stomach. All shirts should have sleeves. See through blouses, bare midriffs, halter tops, mesh shirts, low cut shirts, spaghetti straps, tank tops, sleeveless shirts and other clothing deemed inappropriate are prohibited. Pants should be pulled up to the waist and secured in a manner that prevents them from falling down or riding low on or below the natural waistline. Shorts and skirts must be within four inches from the top of the student’s kneecap. When wearing layers, the outermost garment must meet dress code requirements.
2. Students are to wear shoes at all times in the building. Bedroom slippers are not permissible.
3. One's appearance should not be vulgar, obscene, offensive or disruptive. Undergarments should not be visible.
4. Students are not to wear unnecessary outdoor attire in school, including hats and bandanas.
5. Special dress and appearance regulations will be recognized for special activities (i.e., Spirit Day, etc ... the administration will let the student body know when it is appropriate).
6. Clothing and accessories must be safe (i.e., No wallet chains, no pocket chains, etc). Items associated with body piercing may have to be removed for safety reasons in some classes, such as physical education, ITE or during participation in athletic activities.
7. Clothing which promotes alcohol, drugs, tobacco, vulgarity, violence, or secret organizations will not be worn. Clothing, accessories or jewelry that promote racial disruptions by bearing a picture, diagram, logo or slogan/language or other symbol denoting the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nation, White Supremacy, Black Power, Confederate flags or articles, Neo-Nazi or any other “hate” groups that support racial disruption will not be worn. Additionally, clothing will not be permitted which advertises, promotes, or via innuendo or double meaning suggests inappropriate ideas or behavior not conducive to a positive school environment or is disruptive to the educational functioning of the school.
8. Pants should adequately cover student’s lower body with minimal rips or tears. No rip or tear should be higher on the leg than 4” above the knee cap.
9. Pajama pants and pajama tops are not acceptable.

NOTE: Reasonable discretion must be exercised to avoid undue distraction, to provide proper cleanliness, and to maintain proper levels of common decency.