Family Forum Q&A: School Dress Codes in Public Schools

Welcome to another edition of Family Forum Q&A (formerly Mom's Talk Q&A), an opportunity for both moms and dads to chat live on the site about anything regarding parenting issues. Starting this week, we're choosing issues that apply to both Riverhead and North Fork families.

Today's topic on school dress code comes from North Fork Patch contributor Jennifer Senft:

In January 2008, a committee of Riverhead students, faculty, and community members researched potential interest in a uniform dress-code policy for the Riverhead School District. According to the district nearly 70 percent of those surveyed by the committee favored the policy.

Beginning in September 2008, the policy was implemented district-wide for grades K-4 in the elementary schools. In August 2009, grades 5-6 at the Pulaski School were  to have started their participation in the uniform policy, followed by the Middle School in 2010, and the High School in 2011.

However it hasn't unfolded as planned. According to the school district, less than one-eighth of elementary school students are following the dress code, and it never made its way to the higher levels. 

At a recent Board of Education meeting, one parent asked why more students did not participate in the dress code policy — an option many students have taken — without filling out an  "opt out" sheet. 

Superintendent Nancy Carney said that the school district is not legally allowed to enforce a dress code. 

The unofficial dress code is:
- Khaki or blue pants, capris, shorts (in warm weather months), skorts, skirts or jumpers
- Blue or white shirts or blouses with a collar, including polo shirts, or a turtleneck (long or short sleeve)
- Footwear must be either flat-soled shoes or sneakers
- Denim is not permitted
- Sweaters or sweatshirts (as a warming layer) must be navy blue, gray, royal blue or white and may bear the insignia of the individual school building within the Riverhead Central School District.

The reasons given for adopting a dress code were, per the Board of Education:

•  Improving student conduct and discipline
•  Promoting an effective learning environment 
•  Improving student academic performance 
•  Fostering student self-esteem 
•  Fostering school unity and pride 
•  Promoting and maintaining safety and security

What are your feelings about a uniform/dress code policy? Did you originally  think it would achieve the goals laid out above? Have your feelings about it changed – i.e., do you see a positive outcome where you thought there might not be one, or a negative outcome if you favored it at the start? 

How do your children feel about it? Do you think it is an effective means to reach the goals laid out by the school board? Do your children follow the dress code, or have they opted out? Or ignored the dress code completely?

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.