FILE:  GAMB

 

STAFF DRESS, ACCESSORIES, AND GROOMING POLICY

 

 

The St. Tammany Parish School Board is committed to providing an excellent educational system that focuses on outstanding student achievement and preparation for lifetime success. The School Board believes that its mission is enhanced by the professionalism of its employees. The professional status of staff members is reinforced by appropriate dress and appearance. Since students learn by example, it is important that employees serve as role models for students. Moreover, the community’s attitude toward the School System and the education profession is related to the manner in which employees present themselves.

 

All employees shall exercise good judgment in their choice of appearance at work by dressing in a way that is appropriate to the situation and in a manner that will invoke a positive impression with students and the community. Such professional dress should promote a working and learning environment that is conducive to high student and staff performance. Inappropriate clothing, paraphernalia, grooming, jewelry, accessories, or body adornments that are in any way disruptive or potentially disruptive to the learning environment are prohibited. The prohibition on inappropriate grooming does not prohibit natural, protective, or cultural hairstyles, as defined by the Louisiana State Legislature. "Natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle" shall include but is not limited to afros, dreadlocks, twists, braids, cornrow braids, Bantu knots, curls, and hair styled to protect hair texture or for cultural significance.

 

Principals and other administrative supervisors are delegated the authority and bear the responsibility for ensuring compliance with this mandatory policy and are expected to counsel and/or discipline employees whom they supervise on professional appearance in conformance with this mandatory policy.

 

PROFESSIONAL JEANS ATTIRE

 

Teachers and employees are permitted to wear jeans on the last work day of each week  provided they adhere to the following guidelines:

 

  1. Professional Appearance: Jeans must be worn in a professional manner. They should be clean, well-fitted, and free from excessive wear.

  2. Condition: Jeans must not have any rips, tears, holes, embellishments, or writing of any kind.

  3. Color: Solid-colored jeans are allowed. Denim in traditional blue, black, or other solid hues is acceptable.

  4. Dress Code Compliance: Jeans should be paired with appropriate tops, shoes, and accessories that maintain a professional appearance.

  5. Jeans are allowed for field trips or system wide teacher days as designated on the official school system calendar. Agricultural and Industrial Arts teachers, bus operators, bus aides, custodial and maintenance workers and paraprofessionals may wear jeans every day. If no students are on campus on the Professional Development Day/Record Keeping Day at the end of the First (1st) and Third (3rd) Grading Periods, teachers may wear jeans as long as they are not going off campus for a workshop.

 

Items that are not acceptable in the workplace include the following:

 

  1. Skirts, dresses, and other articles of clothing that are inappropriately short for working with or around students.

  2. Spaghetti strap dresses and tops without jackets.

  3. Athletic wear such as jogging suits, except for physical education teachers.

  4. Shorts of any kind (Physical education teachers may wear appropriate coaching shorts during physical education classes. Teachers may wear wide leg, walking shorts only on field trips or system wide teacher days as designated on the official School System calendar. Bus operators and bus aides may wear wide leg, walking shorts on the job. Custodial and maintenance workers may wear wide leg, walking shorts, with approval of supervisor, while performing outdoor duties.)

  5. Garments (e.g., “midriffs”; halter tops; backless clothing; “tube” tops; garments made of fishnet, mesh, or similar material; tank tops; “muscle” tops, etc.) that inappropriately bare or expose private areas of the body.

  6. Inappropriately sheer or tight clothing.

  7. “Flip-Flops” or other beach-style sandals.

  8. Leggings may be worn under tunic tops or skirts that are fingertip length or no more than five (5) inches above the knee.

 

Adopted: August 10, 2017 Revised: September 8, 2022
Revised: January 11, 2018 Revised: September 19, 2024

 

 

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 23:332

Board minutes, 1-11-18, 9-8-22, 9-19-24

 

St. Tammany Parish School Board