Anaheim : School Board Ready to Adopt Dress Code

The Anaheim City School District board is set to adopt a dress code tonight that will prohibit students from wearing baggy pants, T-shirts with obscene or offensive messages, hats and clothing that is “unsafe, dangerous or a health hazard.”

Supt. Meliton Lopez said Monday that some of the downtown elementary school district’s students wear “inappropriate” clothing and that the district needs a policy to deal with the matter. The district has more than 16,000 students in kindergarten through sixth grade at 21 schools.

Much of the inappropriate clothing worn by the students mimics that worn by older children who are gang members, Lopez said. That could lead to the elementary students’ being confronted and possibly harmed by gang members who may confuse the younger children with rivals, Lopez said.

The proposed code specifically bans any item of clothing that “contains offensive or obscene symbols, signs or slogans degrading any culture, religious or ethnic values.”

It also prohibits clothing that contains references to sex, drugs, alcohol or tobacco, communicates gang affiliations or depicts violence or destruction.

The proposal prohibits hats, overalls that are not properly strapped over the shoulders and pants that “are not an appropriate size.” Gang members frequently wear baseball caps of certain teams, don’t strap up their overalls and wear large, baggy pants.

“We have some children with size 24 waists who are showing up to school in size 35 or 36 pants,” Lopez said. “The pants’ crotch is hanging down to the students’ knees. A student can’t do (physical education) in those and it is just not appropriate attire.”

Lopez said two of the district’s schools--Paul Revere and Thomas Jefferson--have adopted school uniforms that are worn voluntarily and he is encouraging others to do the same.

Tonight’s board meeting is scheduled for 7:30 at district headquarters, 890 S. Olive St.