Past Principal Points
Dress
Code (Final Chapter?!)
If you didn’t realize it before, no doubt you are
now aware that people have very strong feelings about their clothing and hair. You
will probably also recognize that there is a wide range of opinions on what is
acceptable, and what is not, both personally and for
our school community. As noted elsewhere, after hearing the views expressed at
the PT-CARE meeting and reading the surveys and comments from parents and
students, the Board has decided not to change the existing policy regarding dress code. That leaves the interpretation and any more specific details to the staff and
administration.
As I mentioned at our PT-CARE meeting, every year
we discuss the changing styles as a staff and try to develop a consensus about the latest issues so that we can be consistent in our
application of Board Policy. Please understand that as styles
change, and as our school community changes, how we apply and interpret policy
will change. Up until now we have simply spoken to students individually when
they had a question about what was OK or when it appeared they were over
stepping the “community standard”. However, the surveys indicate that a large
number of parents and some students would like more specific guidelines so they
have a better idea of what those standards are.
So, here are some of the boundaries that
we have set as we have sought to apply Board Policy to real live students: No earrings for guys, no tattoos, no earrings
in places other than the ear, no unnaturally colored hair, no spiked hair, no
Mohawks, boys’ hair should be shorter than shoulder length, hair should be off
the eyes, etc. This list is not inclusive, but just an idea of the
kinds of things we have seen or been asked about that we feel are outside that
which is “acceptable to the majority of Christian believers.” As far as we can tell from the surveys (and
recognizing that there are wide differences of opinion), the guidelines we have
set and the judgment calls we have made represent a “reasonable” and “moderate”
position. Please understand also, that when we consider “what is acceptable to
the majority of Christian believers,” we think of friends, relatives, alumni,
and supporters in our churches—people that believe in and pray for our school
and support it financially. They tend to be more conservative, just as students
tend to be more liberal (see below). Parents are usually somewhere in between,
and that “moderate” view is generally where the school standards will be.
Let me
reiterate: these are not moral issues, but simply our “community standards.” Even with these
specifics, there is room for interpretation (how much shorter than shoulder
length? what is a “natural” color; what about shaved heads, who decides what “neat” means?!) The possibilities are
endless
which is why the Board does not want to get any more specific in policy and why
I do not want to develop more specific rules. At the end
of the day, no matter how detailed we get, there will always need to be
judgment calls. PLEASE, use these as an opportunity to teach the spiritual
principles of respect, honor, unity, obedience, etc.
|
|
Dress Code Survey – Students |
Grade |
|
|
|
|
|
Hair |
7 |
8 |
9/10 |
11/12 |
TOTALS |
|
|
1 |
The school should have no standards for hair length or
color |
18.2% |
27.8% |
25.0% |
0.0% |
17.4% |
|
2 |
…hair length and color should be left to the discretion of
the Staff |
18.2% |
5.6% |
8.3% |
27.3% |
15.1% |
|
3 |
The school should set standards for hair color but not
length |
27.3% |
50.0% |
33.3% |
59.1% |
41.9% |
|
4 |
The school should set standards for hair length and color. |
45.5% |
16.7% |
20.8% |
22.7% |
26.7% |
|
A |
Boys' hair should be shorter than shoulder length |
31.8% |
11.1% |
16.7% |
27.3% |
22.1% |
|
B |
Boys' hair should be shorter than over the collar. |
22.7% |
5.6% |
12.5% |
9.1% |
12.8% |
|
C |
Boys' hair should be shorter than over the ears. |
4.5% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
1.2% |
|
Uniforms |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
I am NOT interested in uniforms at all. |
77.3% |
83.3% |
79.2% |
68.2% |
76.7% |
|
2 |
…uniforms needs to be examined and a proposal made. |
4.5% |
11.1% |
4.2% |
18.2% |
9.3% |
|
3 |
I AM interested in uniforms for all grades. |
9.1% |
0.0% |
4.2% |
4.5% |
4.7% |
|
4 |
I AM interested in uniforms for secondary students (gr 7-12) |
9.1% |
5.6% |
0.0% |
13.6% |
7.0% |
|
A |
I would prefer a ' dressy' look |
0.0% |
0.0% |
4.2% |
13.6% |
4.7% |
|
B |
I would prefer a 'casual' look |
45.5% |
0.0% |
8.3% |
9.1% |
16.3% |
Principal,
Copyright © 2002/2003 Airdrie Koinonia Christian
School Last modified: