Uniforms

In order to maintain a proper and healthy educational atmosphere, students must be suitably dressed and groomed. CTECS encourages students to dress in a manner that reflects pride in and respect for themselves and their community. Restrictions on student appearance may be applied whenever the dress or grooming interferes with the learning process, is disruptive, is unsafe, or is contrary to law.

Students must be properly dressed and groomed in order to promote a positive, safe, and non-disruptive learning environment. Students are prohibited from wearing clothing or other items that interfere with the learning process, are disruptive, are unsafe, or that are contrary to law. Without limitation, the following are examples of attire that is prohibited from wear in the school buildings during the academic school day or at school-sponsored activities:

1. Coats, jackets or other attire normally worn as outerwear;
2. All head coverings of any kind, including, but not limited to scarves, bandanas, masks, kerchiefs, athletic headbands, hats or caps, unless it is worn for bona fide religious reasons; or is considered to be a protective hairstyle. The term “protective hairstyle" includes, but is not limited to, wigs, headwraps and hairstyles such as individual braids, cornrows, locs, twists, Bantu knots, afros and afro puffs. Notwithstanding the foregoing, health and safety concerns take precedence;
3. Footwear that damages or marks floors or that is a safety hazard, including backless shoes, flip-flops and toeless shoes, crocs, heelies or slippers;
4. Sunglasses, unless required by a doctor’s order;
5. Spiked or studded bracelets, oversized or multi-finger rings, belts or any other article or attire with spikes or studs attached;
6. Attire or accessories that depict logo or emblems that encourage the use of drugs, tobacco products or alcoholic beverages;
7. Attire that can create a hostile school environment or disrupt the educational process such as clothing with harassing symbols, pictures or vulgar, illegal, racial, sexist, or other discriminatory viewpoints which denigrate others on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, sexual preference or disability;
8. Gang-related attire, including, but not limited, to gang colors, jewelry, emblems, badges, symbols, signs, or other insignia which are evidence of membership in or affiliation with a gang;
9. Clothing that is overly revealing, including, but not limited to shirts and/or blouses that reveal the abdomen, chest, or undergarments; tank-tops; see-through clothing; shorts (mid-thigh shorts are acceptable); miniskirts; or pants that reveal the navel, upper thigh or undergarments. Underwear must be covered. Cleavage must be covered; and
10. All pants must fit and be properly fastened. Students shall not wear pants that when fastened, sag or fit below the natural waist. No sweatpants.

Students are provided with picture identification cards. Such cards shall be visible and worn on a lanyard while on school property or at school-sponsored events. (ID Cards must be tucked into shirts while in shop areas.)
Career Technical Education (CTE) uniforms are required in the CTE cycle and there may be additional restrictions based on specific career pathway environments. Students are notified of these requirements at the beginning of the school year. For example, in Culinary Arts students are required to wear black leather slip resistant shoes and remove jewelry and body piercings because of health and safety.

Student Academic Uniforms
Dress codes have a positive effect on school pride, identity and safety. Many schools have dress code requirements. If schools have a uniform policy, students must adhere to the policy and wear the approved uniform. There is no opting out on this policy. A student committee and a faculty committee identify a wide variety of items for purchase. The choices consist of the following items for men or women:

• Polo shirts
• Long and short sleeve dress shirts
• Tee shirts
• Blouses
• Polar fleece tops
• Freshman CTE exploratory tee shirts and sweatshirts
• PE - athletic tee shirts, shorts and sweatpants

A school may designate a dress down day. Parents must be informed in advance and may object to the participation of their child.

Display of Disruptive Symbols
Extremist symbols and logos create a hostile school environment or disrupt the educational process. Therefore, the display of harassing symbols, pictures or vulgar, illegal, racial, sexist, or other symbols that represent discriminatory viewpoints are not acceptable on clothing, toolboxes, autos, or other items and may result in disciplinary intervention. The display of such symbols is restricted student expression as it 73 materially and substantially disrupts the educational process. Examples of such symbols include, but are not limited to the Confederate flag, swastikas and swastika variants.