{"id":13469,"date":"2014-09-10T14:39:54","date_gmt":"2014-09-10T14:39:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/independentweekender.com\/?p=13469"},"modified":"2014-09-17T14:23:22","modified_gmt":"2014-09-17T14:23:22","slug":"dress-code-questioned-at-br","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/2014\/09\/10\/dress-code-questioned-at-br\/","title":{"rendered":"Dress code questioned at BR"},"content":{"rendered":"

BY STACI WILSON<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"After<\/a>

After her sister was turned away from school on the first day, Alicia Osterhout began a campaign to revert to the “fingertip-length” rule that had previously been in place at the high school. She presented her information, as well as a petition that garnered over 300 signatures to the Board of Education on Monday.<\/p><\/div>\n

A back injury kept Sara Osterhout out of school for her junior year. She was excited to return to Blue Ridge for her final year of school.<\/p>\n

With temperatures expected to be in the high 80s, she dressed for the day wearing shorts that hit about half-way down her thigh.<\/p>\n

But Sara was kept from even entering the school because her shorts did not meet the district\u2019s revised dress code policy.<\/p>\n

The policy in 2013-14 allowed for shorts to be worn at fingertip length, while dresses and skirts were required to hit a girls\u2019 leg no more than three inches above the knee.<\/p>\n

Her sister, Alicia, a 2011 Blue Ridge graduate, rallied behind her sister taking to the internet to garner support in asking the school board to reconsider what she calls an \u201carbitrary\u201d line of measurement.<\/p>\n

Alicia Osterhout brought her concerns before the board Monday night, presenting members with a packet of information, including her online petition that garnered over 300 signatures in the past week.<\/p>\n

Osterhout told the board she had initially spoken with High School Principal Matthew Nebzdoski who told her the \u201cfingertip length\u201d rule was unfair to students with long arms.<\/p>\n

Osterhout said, \u201cThe new rule is not fair either.\u201d She said the enforcement of the dress code served to negate the stated purpose of the rule and was disruptive to education.<\/p>\n

Board member Christina Whitney said the change to the dress code was discussed when the board approved the student handbook in April. She also said that in the policy in place last year shorts were not specifically mentioned in the policy and \u201cfingertip didn\u2019t exist.\u201d<\/p>\n

Superintendent Robert McTiernan put last year\u2019s policy on the overhead for all present to view. The word \u2018shorts\u2019 had been added to the three-inch rule policy; and the portion of the policy that called for shorts to be worn no shorter than \u201cfingertip length\u201d had been removed.<\/p>\n

Whitney acknowledged she had been mistaken in her comments about the previous dress code policy, admitting it did, in fact, provide for the length of shorts.<\/p>\n

Board President Laurie Brown-Bonner said she thought the \u201cthree-inch rule\u201d was \u201ccut and dry\u201d and took into account the differences in the length of arms and legs.<\/p>\n

Osterhout said that it is difficult when shopping to find juniors clothing that fits the school\u2019s standard.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not about fashion,\u201d Whitney said. She also advocated for school uniforms that would require students to wear golf shirts and khaki pants to school each day.<\/p>\n

Bonner said she was not a proponent of uniforms. \u201cWe\u2019re about educating the kids. We took the arbitrary part out.\u201d But added there are \u201ca lot of inconsistencies\u201d on how the dress code is enforced.<\/p>\n

Osterhout agreed stating that part of the problem is in the enforcement.<\/p>\n

Whitney said, \u201cMy motion \u2013 no shorts allowed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Board member Shane Rumage said part of the reason for the change was to clarify the policy and make it easier for the administration to police.<\/p>\n

Osterhout said students were put in the position of choosing between comfort and education.\u201d
\n\u201cI think that\u2019s a stretch,\u201d Whitney replied.<\/p>\n

Board member Chris Lewis also said he would want the skirt length to be longer than required. At three inches above the knee, he said, \u201cNow you\u2019re going to be able to see everything.\u201d
\nBonner asked Osterhout to explain how her proposed \u201cmid-thigh\u201d point be determined and then added the board will discuss her proposals and \u201cmake changes as needed.\u201d
\nA parent attending the meeting agreed with Osterhout. She said her daughter\u2019s shorts were \u201cvery modest\u201d but still violated the policy. \u201cI believe mid-thigh is appropriate for school,\u201d she said.
\nWhitney said she has recruited from high schools \u201call over Pennsylvania and New York\u201d in schools that wear uniforms. She said, that when it comes to uniforms, parents are likely to have \u201cmore of a problem with individuality than students do.\u201d
\nBonner brought the conversation back to enforcement, asking how the administration could address the disparities without \u201cspending the whole day being dress Nazis.\u201d
\nSuperintendent Robert McTiernan said the three administrators are dependent upon the staff and staff referrals when it comes to dress code enforcement. But he added, if teachers are paying attention to the dress code, then they are not teaching. He said, that with fewer than 50 staff referrals, \u201cwe need help.\u201d
\nMcTiernan said, \u201cI don\u2019t want to make the dress code a distraction as a part of the day.\u201d
\nBlue Ridge senior Julia Stanley said some students don\u2019t find the dress code as important as the board does. \u201cTo pull a kid out of class because their shorts are a bit too high is obnoxious,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s not necessary.\u201d
\nLewis said he found Osterhout\u2019s points regarding enforcement and length of shorts were valid. \u201cI don\u2019t think three inches and mid-thigh is off too much. I have no issue with that. I don\u2019t think we\u2019re anywhere near uniforms.\u201d He said he would like to take the time to look over and review the packet of material provided to the board by Osterhout.
\nWhitney said the policy was discussed in April. \u201cIt was made public. Nobody was here. I\u2019m not in favor of any changes.
\nA review of the April board of education meeting minutes does not reflect any discussion or vote regarding the student handbook nor the dress code policy. The board did approve the purchase of the student agendas at the May 5 meeting; and the student handbooks were approved at the June 2 meeting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BY STACI WILSON A back injury kept Sara Osterhout out of school for her junior year. 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