By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — That’s a wrap.
The School Committee approved a revised dress code policy for all four schools during an Aug. 7 meeting. The school board previously spent a significant amount of time discussing the revised policy during two prior meetings earlier this summer.
Three rising Lynnfield High School seniors, including School Committeeman Jamie Hayman’s oldest daughter Ella, weighed in on the new dress code policy. Lynnfield Middle School math teacher Cindy O’Neil and several parents also provided feedback about the revised policy.
School Committee member Jenny Sheehan, who serves on the Policy Subcommittee, gave an overview of the revised dress code policy known as Policy JICA.
“It is the guiding mission of the Lynnfield Public Schools system to develop lifelong learners, with citizenship and respect central to school ethos,” said Sheehan while reading the revised dress code policy. “When students are dressed appropriately for school, the school atmosphere and culture is more pleasant and conducive to learning. For this reason, items of dress which are disruptive to the educational process, or which represent a safety hazard, may not be worn. The guidelines of this policy will be enforced by the school administration.”
Sheehan said the revised dress code policy will prohibit students in grades K-12 from wearing caps and hats in school, and students in grades K-12 will be prohibited from wearing hoods in classrooms. While students will be allowed to wear pajama pants in school, Sheehan said other forms of “sleepwear” will be prohibited.
Additionally, Sheehan said the policy seeks to prohibit students from wearing “sunglasses and swimwear” as well as “clothing that promotes or pictures illegal activity, violent behavior, sexual subjects or innuendos, obscene language or gang symbols.”
Sheehan also said the revised dress code policy will prohibit students from wearing “clothing or accessories that display lewd, vulgar or plainly offensive language or symbols, or promotes the use of alcohol, illegal drugs, or tobacco products.” She also said the policy seeks to prohibit “clothing that is revealing the genital area or buttocks; undergarments worn as clothing; and clothing or jewelry that is disparaging to others in the school environment and contains slurs regarding race, ethnicity, religion, disabilities, gender or sexual orientation.”
“Exceptions to the guidelines will be granted for students due to religious or medical reasons,” said Sheehan. “Exceptions may also be granted by administration for special occasions such as Spirit Week or classroom celebrations.”
Sheehan said the revised dress code policy includes disciplinary measures if a student violates it. If a first offense occurs, she said a student will be given a warning and their parent and/or guardian will be notified.
In the event a student violates the revised dress code policy a second time, Sheehan said the student will be given a warning and their parent and/or guardian will be called.
If a third offense occurs, Sheehan said the student will be given detentions that “could be lunch detentions or after-school detentions.” She also said their parent and/or guardian will be called.
Sheehan said if a student continues violating the dress code policy, she said the student might receive “further detentions” such as office, lunch or after-school detentions. She also said the student’s parent and/or guardian will be called, and the student could be suspended from extracurricular activities
“The building principals have the right to ask students to change their attire if it disrupts the educational environment,” said Sheehan.
After Sheehan gave an overview of the revised dress code policy, the School Committee unanimously approved it without further discussion.
