Wenatchee School District Working on New Dress Code Policy

The Wenatchee School District is close to making some changes to its dress code.

Superintendent Paul Gordon said the perspectives of their board policy committee drove many of the changes. The committee consisted of Gordon, board members Laura Jaecks and Michelle Sandberg, six high school students, and 4 school administrators and one district employee.

"From the perspective of our board members, they felt like it was highlighting females and their dress code a little bit more harshly than it was viewing the males." explained Gordon, "So really just trying to take a broader perspective on the policy itself."

The district also partnered with law enforcement to create a list of prohibited items.

"We engaged our law enforcement, our two (school resource officers). We asked them, 'What are those pieces of clothing and attire that would considered be unsafe?'" Gordon continued, "It's also something that is very fluid, and we can make any adjustments to it."

School staff still have the ability to determine items of dress as prohibited even if they are not specifically included on the list. In those cases each school's principal would have final say.

The Wenatchee School District could make things official by their next school board meeting February 11th.

The district's policy can be found here.