AHS Interim Dress Expectations

 The AHS administration acknowledges that dress codes have historically and disproportionately targeted female-identified students, students of color, and other marginalized groups. Our intent is to break this harmful pattern while nurturing a productive learning environment that will prepare students for life outside of K12 education. All clothing and self-expression is acceptable outside of that which creates a substantial disruption to the school environment.

To ensure effective and equitable enforcement of these dress expectations, school staff shall enforce these expectations consistently and in a manner that does not reinforce or increase exclusion of any group based on race, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, household income or body type/size. Expectations of students’ dress should not result in barriers to school attendance to the maximum extent possible. All students and staff are responsible for managing their own personal "distractions" without regulating individual students' clothing/self expression.

We intend to include parents, guardians, and/or primary care-givers in decision-making around the appropriateness of dress. If a student’s dress is deemed inappropriate, a parent, guardian, and/or primary care-giver will be contacted for a dialogue with the student and school administrator to reach consensus about dress expectations.

Students Must Wear

  • Shirt, dress, or other covering with fabric in the front, secured across the sides and back.

  • Pants/jeans or the equivalent (i.e. shorts, dresses, skirts)

  • Footwear providing full coverage of the soles of the feet

Students May Wear

  • This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, and only provides examples.

  • Religious headwear

  • Hats or hoods with face showing

  • Fitted pants, leggings, yoga pants, etc.

  • Tank tops and spaghetti straps

  • Any hairstyle

  • Ripped/cut off jeans or shorts, as long as underwear and buttocks aren’t exposed

Students Cannot Wear

  • Violent language or images

  • Images or language depicting drugs, alcohol or illegal items/activities

  • Hate speech, profanity, nudity or sexually explicit images

  • Images, language, or symbols that create a hostile/intimidating learning environment

  • Clothing that is transparent in the aforementioned “must wear” category.

Covid-19 specific expectations:

  • All students and staff must wear a face covering over their nose and mouth until further notice to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

  • Due to locker rooms currently not being used due to Covid precautions, these school-wide Dress Expectations will be used in all classes until it is safe to use the locker rooms. When locker rooms become available for changing, students will have specific uniforms for PE activities.

The AHS administration will use their professional and caring judgment in enforcing the Dress Expectations. We reserve the right to make adjustments to the Dress Expectations in the spirit in which the guidelines were drafted. During the 2021-22 school year the administration will be working in collaboration with various AHS stakeholders, including students and their families, to create a comprehensive set of expectations, pending approval by the AUSD School Board.