A dress code for St. Landry Parish school employees that likely dates to the early 1990s may be updated after a committee’s study.
Superintendent Patrick Jenkins said the policy update may include termination for violating the dress code.
“We need to have a professional presence when in front of the students, parents and the community,” he said.
Discussed at the School Board’s Executive Committee meeting on July 25, the employee dress code study group would include parents, administrators and other staff members, Jenkins said.
School Board member Anthony Standberry said, “I’m glad to see this come across ... because I’ve been on campus and I’ve seen females, 99 percent of the time it is female, and I’m not being gender-biased, but the type of attire they have on leaves no imagination to the child or grown up...”
“And it is a very distracting to kids,” he said.
Jenkins said the dress code needs to look at safety issues. Many worker compensation claims involve trip and fall cases, he said.
“I think from a safety perspective you need to be able to look at our dress code policies,” he said.
School Board member Raymond Cassimere said if a teacher is not dressed appropriately it is difficult for them to break up a fight.
Another Board member, Milton Ambres, agreed that breaking up a fight with high heels on would be difficult.
“I’ve seen people in pants that look like they’ve slept in them,” Ambres added.
Jenkins said the policy also needs to include tattoos noting the military allows personnel to have them, but they must be covered.
The current employee dress code follows.
All teachers, administrators, paraprofessional and central office professional staff are expected to wear attire which will promote and bring dignity to the teaching profession. Pleasing appearance in dress and manner influences the reaction of students to the teacher or other staff. The individual particular about personal appearance not only contributes to his/her own acceptance by others, but also influences the attitudes of students and adults toward the teaching profession.
Employees shall abide by the following guidelines:
Female Employees:
1. No blue denim jeans or jogging suits are allowed.
2. No stirrup pants are allowed.
3. Sun dresses are allowed provided they are worn with a jacket at all times.
4. Split skirts, low cut or see-through blouses or shirts, tank tops or halter tops are not allowed. (Culottes are permissible.)
5. Shirts or blouses which expose the midriff are not allowed.
Male Employees:
1. Beards are permissible if neatly groomed.
*2. Ties are to be worn during the months of November through March. Other months are optional, however, when a tie is not worn, the shirt must have a collar and only the collar button is permitted to be open.
3. No blue denim jeans or jogging suits are allowed.
4. Sandals are not considered appropriate dress and therefore are not permissible.
*Note: All administrative personnel and Pupil Appraisal personnel are to wear ties at all times.
All of the above applies to substitute teachers as well.
