High School Teachers Assail Board : Moorpark: Faculty members back a principal’s dress code that bans students from wearing attire associated with gangs.

In a strongly worded petition to the school board, a majority of Moorpark High School teachers accused the board of making “what seem to be vindictive and behind-the-scene attacks” against the school principal and staff.

Fifteen of the teachers attended a school board meeting Tuesday night to show support for Principal Cary Dritz, who imposed a dress code prohibiting students from wearing hats and clothing associated with gangs.

Board members Cynthia Hubbard and Pam Castro have criticized the policy, saying it discriminates against Latino students who wear the banned black, red or dark blue hats, Los Angeles Raider T-shirts or jackets as part of their culture.

After two months of controversy, the board voted Tuesday to give each school the authority to regulate dress. School rules involving gangs, however, must be reviewed by the superintendent and the board before they may be enforced.

“We are insulted because some members portray themselves as experts about what goes on at our school when, in fact, we who are there every day have never seen some of you on our campus,” the teachers’ petition said.

The petition, signed by 46 teachers and staff members, thanked board members who showed confidence in school staff but said a show of support, respect and encouragement for decisions and actions by the high school staff “has been sorely lacking from other members of the board.”

Hubbard responded to the 15 teachers who stood in the audience as the petition was being read by history teacher Larry Jones. “My only concern is the fairness of the policy. . . . To say that we are not being supportive, that is entirely untrue.”

During the discussion of the new dress code policy for all schools in the district, Castro tried to ban all hats, hair nets and bandannas, but she did not get board support. She has said that a ban of all headgear would make Latinos feel less discriminated against.

In September, high school administrators, concerned about the rise in gang activity, banned gang-related hats and enforced other dress code regulations. When criticism from board members appeared in the media, Dritz appeared before the board to explain his new policy. He reported that there had been several incidents when gang members from outside Moorpark were arrested on campus with weapons. The ban on gang-related hats was done to protect the student body, Dritz said.

“I hope certain things have been resolved,” Dritz said after the hearing. He said the showing of teachers “helped the board to realize we do have a strong school. . . . We practice site-based management, and the teachers tried to show that with the petition.”

Several Latino students have appeared before the board saying they oppose the dress code. “In taking away the black hats, you are taking away our culture,” student Paul Gutierrez said Tuesday. “They are hindering our expressions. I don’t want to come to school.”

Castro, who lives in the downtown area of Moorpark and has contact with the Latino community, added, “I am concerned about the people who come from this culture who this policy dearly affects.”

The board directed Dritz to continue the limited hat ban at the school until June when it will be reviewed by board members. Dritz has also formed a committee of students, parents and community members that will closely monitor the policy.