Public board to clarify student dress rules
Campaign is a response to complaints
Regarding headwear, the poster notes students can wear hats, durags, bandanas, head scarves and religious/ creed headwear
Hamilton’s public school board says it plans to promote student dress guidelines with a poster campaign, web page, staff training and possible video to combat discrimination against religious or cultural clothing.
Equity superintendent Paul Denomme said the board has already issued a clarification of the 2021 guidelines to school staff in response to a December trustee motion seeking to address complaints about anti-Palestinian racism.
Staff will also receive training to ensure dress guidelines “are not used as a tool of discipline but a tool of conversation around what is appropriate to wear,” he told trustees at their Monday board meeting.
Trustees directed senior staff in December to remind schools of the guidelines after hearing some students were threatened with discipline for supporting Palestinians under siege in Gaza, including by wearing the kaffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian culture.
Denomme said a poster developed with student input will be distributed to all schools in September and include examples of permitted clothing because many found references to “opaque material” and other language in the guidelines unclear.
Regarding headwear, the poster notes students can wear hats, durags, bandanas, head scarves and religious/creed headwear, with examples including burqas, hijabs, turbans, kippahs, yarmulkes, niqabs, fezzes, kaffiyehs and ball caps.
As with all clothing, the guidelines state that headwear cannot promote drugs, alcohol, hate, discrimination, profanity, illegal activity, pornography or violence.
Student trustee Thomas Lin, who got unanimous support for a Dec. 4 motion on the dress guidelines and staff training on Islamophobia, antisemitism and anti-Palestinian racism, praised the poster.
“I certainly think that compared to what we had before on our website that this visual guideline is a big step ahead in terms of how it looks, in terms of its clarity, as well as its inclusivity for various religions, cultures and practices,” he said.
“I’m excited to see how this guideline will be actually implemented and enforced inside of our schools. I certainly hope that what was intended in this guideline can be carried out in our high schools and elementary schools.”
The 2021 guidelines stem from a review to remove “sexist and outdated standards,” prompted by protests at Waterdown District High School after students were warned by their principal to not expose shoulders and midriffs.