New Dress Code at Methacton Schools

The Methacton School District adopted a new dress and grooming code at its Nov. 20 school board meeting, sweeping aside language that governed characteristics such as the length of shirt sleeves, how closely clothing fit the body, and whether a student's clothing was "ragged" or had holes in it.

Such clothing was regarded as a "disruption/distraction to the educational process," according to the current Methacton High School student handbook. Students who violated the dress code faced disciplinary action up to and including suspension.

A recent student editorial in The Windy Hill, the high school newspaper, described the dress code as a "hotly debated topic" at the school. Methacton High School principal Judy Landis had previously advocated for the introduction of student uniforms, according to a 2010 article in the paper.

School board member Kim Wooding said the new policy states that the regulation of student clothing "should be minimally restrictive in the interest of student expression."

"Words like 'neat,' 'clean,' 'good taste,' will guide staff in terms of dress code enforcement," Woodring said.

The new dress code was adopted unanimously by the school board and goes into effect immediately.