5132 - Dress and Grooming

San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS) believes that appropriate dress and grooming contribute to a productive learning environment. SBCSS expects students to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to wear clothes that are suitable for the school activities in which they participate. Students' clothing must not present a health or safety hazard or a distraction which would interfere with the educational process. A student has the right to dress in a manner consistent with his/her gender identity or gender expression, subject to any dress code adopted on a school site.

(cf. 4119.22/4219.22/4319.22 - Dress and Grooming)
(cf. 5145.2 - Freedom of Speech/Expression)

Students and parents/guardians shall be informed about dress and grooming standards at the beginning of the school year and whenever these standards are revised. A student who violates these standards shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

(cf. 5144 - Discipline)

Gang-Related Apparel

The principal, staff and parents/guardians at a school may establish a reasonable dress code that prohibits students from wearing gang-related apparel when there is evidence of a gang presence that disrupts or threatens to disrupt the school's activities. Such a dress code may be included as part of the school safety plan and must be presented to the Superintendent or designee for approval. The Superintendent or designee shall approve the plan upon determining that it is necessary to protect the health and safety of the school's students.

(cf. 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan)
(cf. 5136 - Gangs)

Uniforms

In order to promote student safety and discourage theft, peer rivalry and/or gang activity, the principal, staff and parents/guardians at a school may establish a reasonable dress code requiring students to wear uniforms. Such a dress code may be included as part of the school safety plan and must be presented to the Superintendent or designee for approval. The Superintendent or designee shall approve the plan upon determining that it is necessary to protect the health and safety of the school's students.

If a school's plan to require uniforms is adopted, the Superintendent or designee shall establish procedures whereby parents/guardians may choose to have their children exempted from the school uniform policy. Students shall not be penalized academically, otherwise discriminated against or denied attendance to school if their parents/guardians so decide.

(Education Code 35183)

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that resources are identified to assist economically disadvantaged students in obtaining uniforms.

Legal Reference

EDUCATION CODE

35183 School dress codes; uniforms
32281 School safety plans
48907 Student exercise of free expression
49066 Grades; effect of physical education class apparel

CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5

302 Pupils to be neat and clean on entering school
Hartzell v. Connell (1984) 35 Cal. 3d 899
Arcadia Unified School District v. California Department of Education, (1992) 2 Cal. 4th 251
Marvin H. Jeglin et al v. San Jacinto Unified School District et al 827 F.Supp. 1459 (C.D. Cal. 1993)

Approved: May 24, 1994
Revised: February 07, 2017