MSBSD proposes dress code changes

During the May 22, 2024 Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District school board meeting, changes to the student dress code policy were introduced that would prohibit attire bearing expression or insignia which is obscene, libelous, or advocates racial, religious, or other prejudice; prohibit clothing that is overly revealing.

Under the proposed changes, clothing that is overly revealing is not allowed. This includes shirts and dresses that are low cut, sleeveless shirts that do not cover undergarments, or that are not long enough to cover the waistband. The midriff/stomach cannot be visible. Pants, shorts, skirts, and dresses must cover the legs to mid-thigh and while students can have holes in their jeans or pants, they must be below mid-thigh. All undergarments must remain covered. No clothing may be see-through or transparent.

Additionally, for safety reasons, nothing can obstruct or cover the head or face that would block identification during the instructional day. This includes sunglasses, hats, beanies, and hoods. Reasonable accommodation for a student’s religious beliefs will be made unless the accommodation creates an undue hardship.

“This has been a work in progress for probably the entire year," said MSBSD Superintendent Dr. Randy Trani during discussion of the proposed changes.

He told the board that changes and updates to the students’ rights and responsibilities, particularly around student dress, has been discussed for years.

“It’s a really big, huge policy, and those are the only changes being made.”

Dr. Trani said that the proposed changes came about starting with a representative sampling of teachers and administrators at the start of the school year.

“We just tried to get a sense of what those people thought…and the ranges of opinions went from ‘everything is great how it is’ to ‘that needs to be dramatically changed.’”

He says that the topic came up again in the spring, surveying principals, assistant principals and other administrators who will ultimately have to implement dress code policies.

“We had a really robust response, and it was roughly 1/3 thought there needed to be change,” adding that what administrators really wanted was more clarity. He said that there was also an administrative review of other dress code policies from across the country, as well as different districts within Alaska before making the proposed changes.

Current board policy states that students are expected to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to wear clothes that are suitable for the school activities, including industry requirements at the work site, in which they participate. It also states that students have the right to make individual choices from a wide range of clothing and grooming styles, though they cannot present a health, safety hazard, or a distraction which would interfere with the educational process.

The school board is set to continue discussion at the next school board meeting on June 5, 2024 at the MSBSD Administration building in Palmer.