Board Policy

BP 5132

Students

Dress And Grooming

The Board of Education believes that appropriate dress and grooming contribute to a productive learning environment. The Board expects students to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to wear clothes that are suitable for the school activities in which they participate. Students' clothing must not present a health or safety hazard or a distraction which would interfere with the educational process.

(cf. 4119.22 - Dress and Grooming)

(cf. 5145.2 - Freedom of Speech/Expression: Publications Code)

Students and parents/guardians shall be informed about dress and grooming standards at the beginning of the school year and whenever these standards are revised. A student who violates these standards shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

(cf. 5144 - Discipline)

Gang-Related Apparel

The principal, staff and parents/guardians at a school may establish a reasonable dress code that prohibits students from wearing gang-related apparel when there is evidence of a gang presence that disrupts or threatens to disrupt the school's activities. Such a dress code may be included as part of the school safety plan and must be presented to the Board for approval. The Board shall approve the plan upon determining that it is necessary to protect the health and safety of the school's students.

(cf. 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan)

(cf. 5136 - Gangs)

Legal Reference:

EDUCATION CODE

35183 School dress codes; uniforms

35294.1 School safety plans

48907 Student exercise of free expression

49066 Grades; effect of physical education class apparel

CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5

302 Pupils to be neat and clean on entering school

COURT DECISIONS

Marvin H. Jeglin et al v. San Jacinto Unified School District et al, (C.D. Cal. 1993)

827 F.Supp. 1459

Arcadia Unified School District v. California Department of Education, (1992) 2 Cal. 4th 251

Hartzell v. Connell, (1984) 35 Cal. 3d 899

Policy PALOS VERDES PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

adopted: March 8, 2001 Palos Verdes Estates, California