Good grooming promotes pride and good behavior and is a very important part of the general training of young people. The training is a cooperative effort of the school, parents and students. The intent of the student dress code is to restrict extremes and indecency which would interfere with the District’s educational mission or threaten the safety of students. The hallmark of the exercise of disciplinary action shall be fairness. The foundation of a dress code is to provide appropriate standards for student appearance and to assist in maintaining student behavior, which is conducive to the learning environment. The building administrator shall have the authority to determine the appropriateness of any attire not specified below. In making such determination, the administrator shall consider whether the clothing, hairstyle, and/or accessory presents a safety hazard, is revealing, or is reasonably believed to disrupt the teaching and/or learning. The following dress code for all students is established:

Dress

Skirts and Dresses: The skirt or dress must extend two (2) inches beyond the longest finger on the hand with the shoulders in a relaxed position and shall not be revealing, disruptive, or distract from the educational process.  Skirt openings (slits) must not expose the upper leg, higher than the 2 inch-beyond-the-longest-finger-rule stated above.

Tops:  Any shirt, blouse or sweater may be worn with the following conditions:

"See-through" shirts or blouses may not be worn.

Shirts and blouses must be properly buttoned and cannot expose the midriff when arms are raised from the side.  Tank top style sleeveless dresses, shirts, or blouses that expose undergarments are not permitted.

Any article of clothing which exposes the back or midriff may not be worn.  Tank tops and muscle shirts may be worn, but not as primary garments.

Shirt, dress, and sleeve openings must not expose the torso, chest, or undergarments. 

Pants:  Pants, jeans, or slacks that are neat and clean are acceptable.

Pants that drag on the floor are not acceptable for school wear. Pants which are frayed or have holes are prohibited when the frayed material or hole(s) are in the area as described by the "finger tip rule" in item number 4 below. This area begins with the top of the waistband of properly worn pants (including shorts and skirts) to the tip of the longest finger on the student’s hand. Pants that have been permanently patched in order to cover the area(s) with holes or frayed material are acceptable. Clothing that is purposely ripped, torn, and/or cut in a manner that causes a distraction to the operation of school or is a safety risk to the student or others is prohibited.

Form-fitting, stretch material may not be worn as a primary outer garment. Tights and leggings may be worn only under other garments which meet the provisions of the dress code.

Loose fitting nylon warm-up and wind suits are acceptable for school wear.

Sagging is not acceptable.

Pants may not ride low exposing the torso, or back or undergarments.

Pajama style pants are not appropriate for school wear.

Shorts: Shorts that are properly hemmed and of appropriate length are acceptable for school wear. Form-fitting stretch material may not be worn as a primary outer garment. Shorts must extend to the tip of the longest finger on the hand with the shoulders in a relaxed position. Shorts with a slit on the sides are not acceptable for school wear.

Shoes: All styles of street shoes are acceptable for school wear. Shoes with metal taps must not be worn at school. Shoes with embedded roller-skates are not permitted at school.

Accessories: Examples of accessories which are not acceptable include the following:

Headbands, arm bands, leg bands.

Hats, hoods and caps when worn in the building.

Gang symbols. As part of an effort to curb the presence and influence of gangs in schools, the wearing, possessing, using, distributing, displaying, or selling of any clothing, jewelry, emblems, badges, symbols, signs, graffiti, or other items that are evidence of membership in or affiliation with a gang or other secret society is prohibited.

Body piercing that is disruptive or distracts from the educational process.

Dog collars, thick metal chains, choke chains, wallet chains, chains   connecting one part of the body to another, etc.

Safety pins or other sharp or distracting objects may not be worn on a student’s clothing.

 Insignias, Monograms or Patches: Lettering or any type of sew-on patch, decal, insignia or design that conveys crude, vulgar, profane, violent, death-oriented, gang-oriented, sexually explicit or sexually suggestive messages or advertises tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia is not acceptable.

Make-Up, Tattoos and Brands: Facial make-up, tattoos, brands or other body decorations (whether temporary or permanent) that are disruptive to or distract from the educational process or convey crude, vulgar, profane, violent, death-oriented, gang-oriented, sexually explicit or sexually suggestive messages or advertise tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia are not acceptable.

 Hair:  Hair must be clean and neatly groomed.

Religious and Health Accommodation:  If a legitimate religious belief or health need of a student conflicts with the dress code, reasonable accommodation shall be considered by the building administrator. The administrator shall, for example, keep in mind that the ban against the wearing of hats, hoods, and caps serves the purposes of showing respect for authority, removing obstructions in the line of sight between students and teachers, and denying a place to conceal contraband or cheat sheets. A head scarf worn for religious or health reasons would not show disrespect toward authority, would not any more obstruct the line of vision between students and teachers because the scarf compresses hair more than hair worn without a scarf, and a head scarf tight against the head would not reasonably be a place to conceal contraband or cheat sheets because the scarf is pressed against the head and would reveal these items. Any parent or legal guardian of a student desiring accommodation on the basis of a religious or health condition shall notify the school principal in writing of the requested accommodation and factual basis for the request.

Source: Broken Arrow Board of Education policy, amended August 20, 1984; amended May 21, 1990; referred to Task Force Committee for review, and temporary amendment authorized July 23, 1990, see 1990-91 Administrative Memorandum No. 2. Task Force Committee's proposed changes approved and policy amended, December 17, 1990; amended, August 19, 1991; amended, June 21, 1993. Amended by Board of Education August 19, 1995. Amended by the Board of Education July 23, 2001, Amended by the Board of Education June 26, 2003, Amended by the Board of Education May 17, 2004. Amended by the Board of Education March 13, 2006.  Modified by the Board of Education, March 12, 2007.

Broken Arrow Board of Education policy reviewed April 6, 2009.

Broken Arrow Board of Education policy adoption, July 13, 2009.