Teachers Turn Dress Code Into a Hot Issue

Pushed to the edge by hot weather, four Santa Ana Valley High School teachers this week spoke out against the school district’s recently enacted dress code for teachers, and presented trustees with a petition.

In June, trustees of the Santa Ana Unified School District passed a dress code that included ties for men and prohibited sandals.

The Valley High teachers attended Tuesday’s school board meeting to say that the policy was unfairly enacted, because teachers were not consulted. They added that the heat in recent weeks, sending temperatures in classrooms without air conditioning to 90 degrees, made the situation unbearable. They particularly took issue with the tie requirement, saying polo shirts were appropriate for the classroom.

Trustees, who were given a petition signed by 45 of the school’s teachers, did not comment.