COUNTYWIDE : County Issue Should...

Diane M. Wootton

Assistant principal, Ventura High School Yes, they are, of course, necessary because of how our population now dresses. We feel that some of the outfits are not appropriate for school. They disrupt the classroom instruction. We sometimes have students who don’t wear enough clothing--it’s too brief, exposing certain parts of the body, and it’s distracting. Our written policy is that dress, grooming or accessories “considered unsafe, dangerous or a health hazard, containing offensive or obscene symbols, signs or slogans degrading to any cultural, religious or ethnic values, containing language or symbols oriented towards sex, drugs, violence, alcohol or tobacco are not allowed on campus or at any school-sponsored events.” This certainly includes clothing exposing the midsection, or shorts that expose the buttocks, or strapless dresses. Responsibility for the proper attire ultimately rests with the parents and guardians. We feel they see them in the morning. Of course, you have some students who come to school and change in the restroom. As it now stands, Ventura High and Mar Vista are the two schools that have not banned hats outright, just hats with obvious gang names or symbols.

Anna S. Guico, Student, Camarillo High School

I stated in an editorial in our school newspaper that I feel the hat policy was necessary to a point because there is a problem at other schools in our district and there is a small, small problem at our school. I don’t really know of it because we don’t see it, but our administrators and our dean of students are telling us there is. But what they did was ban all types of hats, which means at our school you’re not even allowed to wear your own Camarillo Scorpions visor or cap on campus during the school day. We can wear them after school at football games, but I personally think banning hats altogether is wrong because if a student wants to show school spirit by wearing a visor, I don’t see how this has anything to do with gangs. People like wearing the visors and they help keep the sun off your face. We also have a rule where we can’t wear our bib suspenders down. Somehow this relates to gangs! Wearing bibs down is a style of dressing, just another trend. It has no meaning. Next thing you know, they’ll be banning shoes. I just don’t believe the administration or the district has the right to choose the way we dress.

Pamela Castro, Board member, Moorpark Unified School District I don’t think what they want to accomplish can be accomplished through this means. Programs should be established to address the real causes of gang-related behavior. It is directly due to low self-esteem, how these kids feel about themselves. Until we take the time, effort, care and the concern for others, the problems will escalate. I think we are the quick-solution, microwave, ready-in-10-seconds society. This dress code is definitely discriminatory toward the Latino student. The kids here have not shown the type of problems that would warrant the extreme enforcement targeted toward the Latino kids. Half the population is wearing some kind of Raiders paraphernalia. What identifies you as a gang member is your behavior. That is not to say these kids are not being lured, and I understand some of the paranoia. People move here to flee from truly violent communities. When they see little signs, they totally panic. But we need to come to grips with what is most appropriate and successful in a non-discriminatory way to attack this problem. Gangs didn’t occur overnight, and the solution is going to take dedicated volunteers, people working with kids to give them pride.

Janis L. Johnson, President, Oxnard PTA Council The superintendent for the Oxnard Elementary School District brought the dress code to our council meeting before he took it to the school board. It was very well received. Many of us thought it was long overdue and we were really pleased about it. It’s not only the threat of gang affiliation on garments that’s the problem. It’s the garments which have patches, stenciled slogans, writing or other symbols affixed to them which are lewd, profane or advocate racial, ethnic or religious prejudices. These are prohibited. Students are also not to wear or display any clothing, head cover, jewelry, emblem, badge, symbol, sign or other form of expression which advocates or encourages the use or abuse of drugs or alcohol. I think things have been getting out of hand. I’ve seen some of the things students wear, and some of it could not be repeated in the newspaper. A person’s right to do what he or she wants stops when it starts to infringe on mine. And if I have to worry about a situation occurring because of the way someone is dressed, even by accident, I feel at that point what they’re doing is infringing on my rights.

David M. Stuart, Field staff member, California Teachers Assn. I think that it’s appropriate to have dress standards, with the gang problem so prevalent in our schools. My feeling has been that the private schools with their uniforms is not a bad idea. It helps you identify who your students are and helps build esprit de corps and probably would be much less expensive for parents. The California Teachers Assn. believes all school districts and all local associations should work for the elimination of school dress codes, retaining only the minimum requirements necessary to the health and safety of the students. My opinion is consistent with this because the times necessitate some kind of standard for the protection of our students. Maybe the dress code will not have to be as extreme as private schools, but certainly some kind of standard has to be set. Schools are in the business of teaching--teaching students how to behave during performances, lunchroom and in the classroom, teaching them to be respectful to each other and to those in authority. And certainly a dress code is part of what is appropriate when you go to the workplace. School is the place for students to work as well as have fun.