No uniform doesn't mean relaxed fit in Norfolk

Dressing younger children for school can sometimes be a struggle of wills. With teens, clothing choices can incite all-out war.

As the first day of school approaches, the Compass revisits Norfolk Public Schools' dress code policy.

While 21 elementary and middle schools in the district now have uniform policies, the remaining - including all five high schools - must adhere to a dress code designed to minimize safety risks, disruptions and distractions, according to the district's website.

Surprisingly, public school dress codes haven't been in existence that long.

Many private schools traditionally have mandated student uniforms, but an elementary school in Baltimore was the first public school to adopt them in 1987.

Long Beach Unified School District in California was the first public school district to adopt a general dress code policy in 1994, according to the Clearinghouse on Educational Policy and Management at the University of Oregon.

It wasn't until 2002 that Norfolk instituted a dress code.

Michael Spencer, the division's chief of operations, said uniforms "send the message and remind everyone that they are in a special setting. This setting is one that sets high expectations for both performance and behavior."

They also help a school's security measures, he said. For example, some principals in middle schools require sixth, seventh and eighth graders to wear slightly different styles so they can be easily identified, he said.

Last school year, there were 124 dress and uniform code infractions, Norfolk Public Schools spokesperson Karen Tanner said. Short skirts, untucked shirts, hoodies and unbelted pants topped the violation list, she said.

Specific clothing, jewelry and other items that may NOT be worn, includes:

- items that display obscene, profane, derogatory, violent or gang-related messages, themes designs or pictures

- items that convey messages relating to or promoting the use of alcohol, drugs or tobacco products

- underwear worn as outerwear

- clothing that is transparent or exposes the midriff, cleavage or navel

- head coverings not affiliated with religious practices

- clothing that is too tight or too short as designated by the policy and/or school principal

- pants, skirts or shorts that sag below the waist or must be held in place with the hands

- accessories that could be used as weapons or pose a risk to the wearer such as picks, chopsticks or chains hanging from clothes

Katherine Hupp, 16-year-old rising junior at Granby High School, said she understands and appreciates the necessity of a dress code.

"Pretty much everyone follows it, and it is enforced at my school," she said.

However, Katherine wishes she could wear flip-flops. So does Maury High School student Hayden Moore, 16, a rising junior.

"A lot of kids wear them anyway, and most of the time, teachers don't say anything," he said.

Gang-related clothing is occasionally visible at Maury, but the addition of extra security guards and cameras at the school has stifled that activity, Hayden said.

The most common violations at Granby are "boys sagging their pants with their underwear showing or wearing hats," Katherine said.

To view Norfolk Public Schools' complete dress code policy, visit www.nps.k12.va.us and click on "dress code" under the student tab.

Lia Russell, 222-5829, lia.russell@pilotonline.com