‘We were heard’: Fort Mill school district revising student dress code after concerns
Following a protest by students and parents, the Fort Mill school district is a step closer to updating the student dress code.
The school board heard recommended changes to the policy during their regular meeting Tuesday.
Parents at the meeting said they were happy their voices were heard.
“Many of our concerns were addressed,” said Fort Mill parent Nikki Brooks.
Nearly 6,000 parents, students and community members signed a petition posted in the fall to change.org that calls for the Fort Mill school district to “create a fair and realistic dress code for students in Fort Mill public schools.”
The group was fighting to change a dress code they believe unfairly targets girls and is not consistently enforced.
Their efforts started after Fort Mill resident Mindy Neal’s 13-year-old daughter Amaya Neal was pulled out of class for dress code violations multiple times during the first week of school, The Herald previously reported.
Parents and students attended a school board meeting in September wearing shirts with the words “I am not a distraction” in black and red ink.
Their actions led the school board to gather community input and revise the policy.
“The Fort Mill school district students are expected to dress appropriately to maintain the school-wide focus on learning,” said Antwon Sutton, executive director of student services. “The dress code helps to create an environment of respect and safety for all.”
The proposed changes specify jeans cannot have tears or be tattered to the extent that skin or undergarments are visible above the mid-thigh for grades K-12, Sutton said. The policy does allow tears and tattered clothing otherwise.
“We know that is a current trend for clothing to be worn with that,” Sutton said.
Tank tops, spaghetti straps, flip flops, T-backs and cross-backs are not allowed for grades K-5 under the proposed policy. For grades six through 12, see-through clothes must not show skin or undergarments above the mid-thigh, and tops with straps less than three fingers wide are not allowed under the changes.
Fort Mill parent Megan Drew, who has a daughter in sixth grade and another child in fourth, said she would like to see the dress code remove all specific measurements as each person is different.
Shorts, skirts and dresses of appropriate length are allowed under the proposed policy. For grades six through 12, the length is specified as “no shorter than the mid-thigh.” The change removes the term “four inches above the knee.”
The policy states “tops must be long enough that they can be tucked into pants or shorts” for all grades. Kristy Spears, chair of the Fort Mill school board, said that the policy reads as leggings are allowed and does not specify a particular shirt length. Sutton said that is correct.
For grades six through 12, the proposed policy specifies that shoes with cleats may not be worn “outside of sanctioned athletic events.”
The proposed policy does not allow clothing promoting drugs, alcohol, racism, gang affiliation, violence, nudity or tobacco for any grade.
For dress code violations, the first through third offenses will result in the student finding a change of clothes the day of the violation, with the option to contact their parent, according to the proposed policy. After the third violation, the student may face detention.
“The goal is going to be to get them back in the classroom as quickly as possible,” Sutton said.
Students who wear clothes that promote violence, profanity or other material that may lead to a disruption in the classroom could be sent to in-school suspension, the proposed policy states.
The school district released this statement: “The recommendation was created a after receiving input from all School Improvement Councils, which include students, parents, community members, staff and school administrators. Using their input, the district administration created a recommendation that allows student comfort while not disrupting the educational process.
“The recommendation is designed to be gender neutral and applied equally to all students,” reads the statement.
Several parents Tuesday said they remain concerned on how the dress code will be enforced and that students may miss class time if flagged for violations.
Sutton said training will be provided so staff and administration know how to fairly and equally apply the dress code and handle violations. Fair implementation and respect of students are some of the concerns board members highlighted as well.
Christine Dayton, a mother of two children in elementary school and a middle school student, said dress code has been an issue for years.
“This is the best step I’ve seen but it’s all going to depend on implementation,” she said. “Listening to some of what the school board members had to say tonight, I feel like we were heard.”
Parents will receive a survey via e-mail to provide further feedback on the policy before it is again put before the school board for final review and approval, Sutton said. The next Fort Mill school board meeting is scheduled for Jan. 21.
The proposed new policy is available on the school district’s website.
“Hopefully moving forward, (district administration) recognize you need to communicate with parents and be more transparent,” Dayton said. “These are our kids and we’re not going to stop.”
