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Through dress codes, schools establish rules governing student appearance. This study examined stated rationales for dress and appearance codes in secondary school handbooks; 182 handbooks were received. Of ISO handbooks containing a rationale, 117 related dress and appearance regulations to students' right to a non-disruptive educational environment; 107 to students' right to a safe and healthy environment at school; and four to avoiding gang activity. Analysis revealed vague, overly broad wording. If carefully written, dress code rationales can protect individual rights of free expression within collective rights of all students to a safe school environment free from disruption and distraction. Suggestions are provided for contributions that family and consumer sciences teachers and students can make.
Beginning more than 30 years ago with the landmark case, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969), numerous challenges to student dress codes have surfaced. Most of these challenges have been concerned with infringement upon constitutionally guaranteed individual rights. For example, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969) and Pyle v. South Hadley School Committee (1994) dealt with the Fourteenth Amendment right to due process. Bethel School District v. Fraser (1985) and Mdntire v. Bethel Independent School District No. 3 (1992) dealt with the First Amendment right to free speech. One principle established via these lawsuits was that schools are considered non-public forums and, thus, a greater degree of control over student behavior is permissible in this context (DeMitchell, Fossey, & Cobb, 2000). Indeed, some states now mandate that public schools establish dress code policies. For example, as part of a larger code of conduct, New York State required all public school districts to establish dress codes (Zernike, 2001). As part of a bill that permitted schools to display The Ten Commandments, North Carolina also mandated that public school districts institute dress codes (Zernike, 2001). Also, school administrators favor uniform dress code policies, because they ". . . believe that uniform dress promotes discipline, deters theft and violence, and fosters a positive learning environment" (Essex, 2001, p. 38).
Accommodating constitutional rights hinges on including acceptable rationale for dress codes (Kuhn, 1996; "Model Guidelines," 1992). A rationale is a statement of grounds, reason, or logic for a regulation. As a result of dress code challenges, the...