The Cleveland Municipal School District announced Monday that students will no longer be required to wear uniforms as part of their dress code.
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In a letter to employees on Monday, Eric Gordon, CEO of Cleveland’s urban school district, announced that the district has changed its dress code and will no longer require uniforms for the upcoming 2021/22 school year.
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“One of the areas that parents, students and educators have all asked to revisit the district, both before the pandemic closed when we reopened schools last spring, and now as we prepare for fall, is our CMSD dress code, ”wrote Gordon. “As a result, over the summer a small task force of administrators and teachers reviewed the dress code and dress expectations of a number of school districts in northeast Ohio, other major school districts in Ohio, and school districts across the country. This task force took advantage of the feedback we received from students and parents, as well as the dress code guidelines to help develop new, more inclusive dress expectations for the CMSD. “
As part of the district’s new gender-neutral dress code, which Gordon said “aims to ensure that students dress appropriately, comfortably, and conducive to an active academic day at school,” and “to help all students develop” a body-positive self-image, “CMSD students are allowed to do the following Do not wear clothes:
- Clothing that is see-through
- Clothing that exposes the buttocks or torso
- Clothing or accessories that show profanity, obscene words or pictures, sexually suggestive statements, violence or incitement to violence
- Clothing that represents gang-related activities
- Clothing that exposes the entire thigh, such as micro minis or short shorts.
- Swimsuits or cut-offs
- wearing and carrying tobacco promotional items or items that advertise controlled substances (drugs) and / or alcohol
- Clothing that exposes underwear
- Clothing that has text or images that are defamatory, harassing, harassing, or discriminatory
Gordon also noted that students are not allowed to wear backless or open-toe shoes at school or at school events, and that students can continue to wear traditional CMSD uniforms even though they are no longer required.
“Schools and school communities that wish to maintain a more formal dress code as part of their school model can do so,” said Gordon. “However, these schools must make sensible efforts to involve parents in the selection of uniforms and uniform combinations to wear and allow families sufficient time to purchase appropriate clothing before this school-based policy is implemented.”
