Portsmouth schools instituting new student dress code policy

Leaves primary responsibility to students, parents

By Jim Mcgaw
Posted 8/28/19

PORTSMOUTH — The school district is tweaking the student dress code policy, partially in response to an issue that sprang up at the middle school last year.

The School Committee Tuesday …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Portsmouth schools instituting new student dress code policy

Leaves primary responsibility to students, parents

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — The school district is tweaking the student dress code policy, partially in response to an issue that sprang up at the middle school last year.

The School Committee Tuesday night carried out a second reading of the policy, which reads in part: “The responsibility for the dress and grooming of a student rests primarily with the student and his or her parents or guardians.”

The committee is expected to conduct a third and final reading and then approve the policy on Tuesday, Sept. 10.

The new rules, which Superintendent Ana Riley said was based on a “model policy” common in other districts nationwide, spells out what’s allowed and what’s not when it comes to dress and grooming.

For example, skirts and dresses must have fabric in the front and on the sides, under the arms. Clothing must cover undergarments, excluding waistbands and straps, and flip-flops ”are discouraged” for younger students in the interests of safety.

In addition, clothing may not depict, advertise or advocate the use of alcohol, drugs or tobacco; pornography, nudity or sexual acts; or hate speech targeting groups based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc. 

The full dress code will be published on Listserve as well as the school district’s website, Ms, Riley said.

Girls started petition

Last year a parent, Lisa McDermott, took issue with the former dress code when her daughter and another girl, then in fifth grade, received a stern warning at the middle school about their attire. 

“Within the first week, the girls were told that their straps in gym class were distracting the boys. I took issue with that,” she said. Ms. McDermott told the committee that her daughter was wearing “totally normal-length jean shorts and a T-shirt” that could offend “only an Amish person.”

The girls, who were pulled out of class three or four more times during the school year for the same reason, according to Ms. McDermott, then started an online petition calling for a change to the dress code. It collected about 700 signatures and received national media attention.

“As a parent, I don’t want any other grownup ever speaking to my daughter about her body without my permission,” she said. “I’m in full support of the new dress code, and it should be up to the parents to determine what’s appropriate.”

Added Committee Chairwoman Emily Copeland, “I think this seems like a really common sense policy.”

Portsmouth School Committee

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.