DRESS CODE- Appropriate School Attire
AR 5132
SANTEE SCHOOL DISTRICT
9625 CUYAMACA STREET
SANTEE, CA 92071-2674
(619) 258-2300
DRESS AND GROOMING
In cooperation with teachers, students and parents/guardians, the principal or designee
shall establish school rules governing student dress and grooming which are consistent
with law, Governing Board policy and administrative regulations. These school dress
codes shall be regularly reviewed.
Each school shall allow students to wear sun-protective clothing, including but not
limited to hats, for outdoor use during the school day as long as these articles comply
with the requirements in this administrative regulation.
In addition, the following guidelines shall apply to all regular school activities:
1. Appropriate shoes must be worn at all times. Sandals must have heel straps.
Flip-flops or backless shoes or sandals are not acceptable. Heels must be of a
reasonable height and not be unsafe in the school environment.
2. Clothing, jewelry and personal items (backpacks, fanny packs, gym bags, water
bottles etc.) shall be free of writing, pictures or any other insignia which are
crude, vulgar, profane or sexually suggestive, which bear drug, alcohol or
tobacco company advertising, promotions and likenesses, or which advocate
death, violence, racial, ethnic or religious prejudice.
3. Hats, caps and other head coverings shall not be worn indoors.
4. Clothes shall be sufficient to conceal undergarments at all times. See-through or
fish-net fabrics, halter tops, spaghetti straps, off-the-shoulder or low-cut tops,
strapless or tube tops, backless shirts, bare midriffs and skirts or shorts shorter
than mid-thigh are prohibited.
5. Gym shorts may not be worn in classes other than physical education.
6. Hair shall be clean and neatly groomed and the color may not cause a distraction
to the educational environment. Hair may not be sprayed by any coloring that
would drip when wet.
7. Spiked jewelry and waist chains will not be allowed.
AR 5132
Page 2
8. Pupils must be cleanly dressed so as not to promote unhealthy or unsanitary
conditions.
9. Bandanas and sweatbands shall not be worn unless prior approval is granted by
a site administrator.
10. Overalls are considered pants and must have an appropriate shirt worn
underneath.
11. Muscle shirts, tank shirts, or underwear shirts may not be worn. Clothing that is
suggestive or revealing will not be allowed.
12. Facial piercing shall be limited to the ears only. Any other piercing must be
plugged with a skin tone plug (no color).
13. Pants must not be worn to expose undergarments or bare skin above the waist.
14. Clothing that is considered nightwear (pajamas and slippers) may not be worn,
with the exception of a designated day by the school.
Coaches and teachers may impose more stringent dress requirements to accommodate
the special needs of certain sports and/or classes.
No grade of a student participating in a physical education class shall be adversely
affected if the student does not wear standardized physical education apparel because
of circumstances beyond the student's control.
The principal, staff, students and parent/guardians at each school may establish
reasonable dress and grooming regulations for times when students are engaged in
extracurricular or other special school activities.
Gang-Related Apparel and Racial or Ethnic Symbols
Gang related apparel or clothing with racial or ethnic symbols is prohibited.
Annually the District will work with the Sheriff's Department to identify specific logos,
designs symbols, verbiage, etc. that are associated with gangs. This information will be
provided to the school administration each spring so that families can be informed of the
dress code requirements before the end of the school year.
AR 5132
Page 3
Uniforms
In schools where a schoolwide uniform is required, the principal, staff and
parents/guardians of the individual school shall jointly select the specific uniform to be
worn.
At least six months before a school uniform policy is implemented, the principal or
designee shall notify parents/guardians of this policy.
Parents/guardians shall also be informed of their right to have their child exempted.
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
35183 School dress codes; uniforms
35294.1 School safety plans
48907 Student exercise of free expression
49066 Grades; effect of physical education class apparel
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
302 Pupils to be neat and clean on entering school
Hartzell v. Connell (1984) 35 Cal. 3d 899
Arcadia Unified School District v. California Department of Education, (1992) 2
Cal. 4th 251
Marvin H. Jeglin et al v. San Jacinto Unified School District et al 827 F.Supp.
1459 (C.D. Cal. 1993)
Board Policy Reference: 5132
Adopted: September 7, 1993
Amended: June 27, 2000, April 19, 2005, July 18, 2006, May 19, 2009