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The Manchester School District, while recognizing that the primary responsibility of what a student wears to school rests with the student and their parent/guardian, establishes the following standards of school-appropriate attire to aid families in their decisions:

 I.        Attire that is acceptable:

a.        All students must wear, at minimum, the following:

i.        Tops (t-shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, hoodies, buttoned shirts, button-down   shirts, polo shirts, tank tops, spaghetti straps, etc. are all acceptable)

ii.        Bottoms (jeans, dress/khaki pants, cargo pants, shorts, skirts, and leggings, etc. are all acceptable)

1. Bottoms must cover undergarments

iii.        Shoes/footwear

1.        In elementary school grades, students are prohibited from wearing open-toed and backless footwear (flip-flops, sandals, etc.)

2. In middle and high school grades, students are allowed to wear open-toed and backless footwear, but are strongly encouraged not to do so for safety purposes

b.        Also acceptable:

i.        Head Coverings (including religious head coverings, hats, do-rags, headwraps, etc.)

ii.        Jewelry (necklaces, earrings, bracelets, etc)

iii.        Religious clothing 

II.        Attire that is NOT acceptable:

a.        Attire that references, advocates for the use of, or otherwise displays a message that is not school appropriate, including, but not limited to the following:

1. Violence or profanity

2. Gang symbols or affiliations

3. Firearms and other weapons

4. Drugs (including tobacco and vapor products) or alcohol

5. Hate speech

6. Sex or pornography

7. Discrimination/disrespect towards others on the basis of age, sex, gender, race, color, marital status, educational status, physical or mental disability, religious creed, national origin, sexual orientation or economic, ethnic, or social background

b.        Specific attire

i.        Bathing suits/swimsuits

ii.        Lingerie or pajamas

iii.        See-through or transparent clothing

iv.         Attire that obscures identity (hoods, face paint, halloween masks, etc.), except for face coverings worn for health purposes or religious reasons.

1.      Ears must be shown at all times

a.       Students whose ears are covered by religious head coverings shall be allowed to cover their ears

2.      Students are prohibited from wearing headphones while in class unless given explicit permission from the classroom teacher

v.        Attire that exposes the genital area, buttocks, or nipples

1.          Rips or tears in clothing are allowed as long as they cover the genital area, buttocks, or nipples

Attire or jewelry that poses a threat to the safety of students or staff

vi.        Attire that may damage the property of the school, students, or staff

III.        Students must wear all appropriate, necessary, and proper safety clothing or equipment when/if needed for specialized school activities (physical education classes, labs, sports teams, etc.).

IV.        This dress code shall be enforced equitably so that no student is discriminated against nor disrespected on the basis of age, sex, gender, race, color, marital status, educational status, physical or mental disability, religious creed, national origin, sexual orientation or economic, ethnic, or social background. 

Revised from:  1/2005; 5/28/2019

First Reading (Policy Committee):  1/11/22

Second Reading and Adoption by BOSC: 1/24/22