Dress Code Policy

 

SHAW HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DRESS POLICY

MCSD has a district-wide dress code that is enforced at each school. For specific additional information about the District-wide dress code, please review Rule 16 in the Code of Conduct. In addition to the District-wide dress code, Principals have the authority and discretion to set school-specific dress codes and uniform codes at each school. In order to allow students time to obtain appropriate clothing, school-specific uniform codes are not enforced during the first five (5) school days that a student attends the school. If students or parents need assistance to comply with dress or uniform codes, please contact the principal or designee.

  

All Students (Dress Code)

It is not the intent of the MCSD and Shaw High School to dictate the quality or style of clothing worn, but rather an effort to encourage good habits and acceptable group behavior. Student dress and personal appearance should reflect dignity and pride in oneself and in the school. Therefore, a student shall not dress, groom, or wear or use emblems, insignias, badges or other symbols where the effect thereof is to distract unreasonably the attention of other students or otherwise to cause disruption or interference with the operation of the school.

  • Halter-tops, bare midriff, and see-through apparel are not to be worn. Dresses and tops must have backs. Cleavage must be covered. No Spaghetti Straps. No Chest, No Belly, No Posterior.
  • Dresses, skirts, or shorts may be no shorter than three (3) inches above the top of the knee. Jeggings, yoga pants, leggings, and palazzo pants may be worn, but a shirt/top must cover all the student’s posterior area. Any spandex-type material shorts are inappropriate and, therefore shall not be worn.
  • During inclement weather, smaller/sweater-type coats may be worn indoors. Larger coats (discretion of administration) may be asked to be put in the student’s locker (Ex: Oversized trench Coats or Puffy Jackets). Students are not permitted to wear hoods on their heads inside the building. Students must wear a shirt under all jackets, sweatshirts, and sweaters.
  • Pajama tops or bottoms may not be worn to school.
  • Undergarments are not to be visible at any time. Outer garments are to be worn in a manner that will cover up all undergarments. See-through materials do not constitute “cover.”
  • All pants and slacks must be worn at or above the waist. Sagging pants are not allowed.
  • Blankets are not permitted to be used in school.
  • Hats, caps, sunglasses, rollers, picks, bandanas, do-rags, bed bonnets, and any other head coverings are not to be worn in the building during the school day. However, students may be required to wear a hairnet and/or other hair restraints in technology classes, laboratory, swimming, and instructionally related activities or advised by the teacher. Authentic religious attire is permitted.
  • Shoes must be secured to the foot in the front. Discretion should be used as to the appropriateness and safety of certain types of shoes. No shower shoes, house slippers-any slipper, and/or shoes with cleats may be worn.
  • Attire that may damage school property or cause personal injury to others (such as chains or studded items) are not to be worn.
  • It is prohibited for any student to wear Clothing items which advertise alcoholic beverages, sex, tobacco, obscene, crude suggestive messages, or use profanity or slurs pertaining to race, gender, ethnicity, religion or national origins are prohibited. Designs or insignias that are part of a haircut, satanic symbols, gang-related badges, insignias and colors, or logos or symbols with which denigrate social or ethnic groups are also prohibited. “Fake” alcohol or drug advertisement is also disallowed. Any other clothing that disrupts the normal order of the school day.

Individual schools are permitted to designate uniforms or apparel for student to wear. The schools shall present their choice to the Board of Education for review. Students who have financial reasons and can demonstrate that they cannot afford to purchase or acquire a uniform shall not be denied admission to school for that reason. Bonafede religious attire will be permitted.

Shaw High School has a progressive discipline plan to address dress code violations using out of school suspension as the last disciplinary action.

Note:  The school system/administrator reserves the right to punish behavior, which is subversive to good order and discipline in the schools, even though such behavior is not specified in the preceding written rules.