Easton Area School District may consider stricter dress code

Monday, November 09, 2009
By COLIN MCEVOY
The Express-Times

Three years ago, the Easton Area School District decided against establishing a strict dress code, instead opting to beef up existing student clothing policies.

Now, the district might revisit the issue and consider a standardized dress code that would ban jeans and T-shirts, and could even lead to student uniforms.

The school board will discuss whether to form a committee of board members and administrators to study the topic, Assistant to the Superintendent Joseph Kish said.

Although Kish said the group would look at uniforms, board members said a tougher, standardized dress code is more likely.

Board member Pam Millen-Eustis said it likely would ban T-shirts and jeans in favor of button-up shirts, polo shirts or sweaters without designs or images, as well as khakis or other nonjean pants.

Some students already have expressed doubts a new dress code could be enforced.

Julia Gleason, a 16-year-old junior, said it would only incite students to rebel and wear even less appropriate clothes to school.

"If you let people wear what they want, they won't go overboard," Gleason said. "But if you try to have a dress code, they'll do it. They barely listen (to clothing policies) now, so what's the point of making it worse?"

Any new dress code policy would probably be districtwide, although the board might consider rolling it out at the secondary level first, Millen-Eustis said.

The school board will discuss Nov. 19 whether to form a dress-code committee.

The board in 2006 formed a similar committee, which drafted recommendations for a stricter dress code after several meetings with parents, students and teachers, said Millen-Eustis, who sat on the committee.

The committee recommended a standardized dress code at the time, but the school board decided against it in the face of criticism from vocal parents opposed to the change, according to Millen-Eustis and former board member Al Capecci.

Instead, the board decided to strengthen existing policies.

Millen-Eustis said this included prohibiting intentionally torn clothes, certain facial piercings, low-cut revealing clothes, extremely short skirts and gang symbols.

Kish declined to comment on what specifically renewed interest in the issue.

"There have been questions from board members and people from the community," Kish said.

He referred additional comment to Superintendent Susan McGinley, who couldn't be reached Friday.

Millen-Eustis said a school code would help with behavioral problems, prevent distractions in academic settings and deter secret gang signs and symbols.

In 2006, the dress code issue was first raised by then-board President Richard Siegfried after the apparent gang-related shooting of former district student Clarence "C.J." Edwards.

Board member Kerri Leonard-Ellison said it is too early to determine whether she would support a new dress code, but she would want any new proposal to align with the district's initiative to provide a quality education.

"Whatever would help enhance a learning environment would be something I'd want to look at," she said.