Student dress code will remain in place

(Plain Press, September 2012) The strict student uniform and dress code the Cleveland Metropolitan School District put in place in August 2007 remains policy for the 2012-13 academic year.

The dress code was designed to eliminate what some perceived as a barrier to student learning.

Taking a conservative approach to school-appropriate attire, the dress code bans hooded clothing, sagging pants, blue jeans, long, white T-shirts, shirts with logos or slogans and headgear.

At the time the K-12 policy was adopted, one of the rallying cries for it was: “Focus on books, not looks.”

The policy takes the emphasis off high-fashion name brands and faddish attire.

Under the policy, boys can only wear solid-color blue or white shirts. Their shirts must be dress, polo, turtlenecks or Oxford. Pants must be black, navy, dark blue, tan or khaki.

Girls must wear blouses with collars, polo shirts, turtlenecks or Oxford shirts in solid blue or white.

No jeans or sweat suits are allowed for boys or girls.

Clothing vouchers are available to families whose incomes fall below federal poverty guidelines. To cut costs, the District has developed partnerships with various retailers around Greater Cleveland, including the Silverman’s Department Stores.

For more information about the District’s dress code, call 216-436-5369.