The Governing Board position respecting student dress is to be adhered to by all pupils attending schools of the Panama-Buena Vista USD. The purpose of the dress code is to help generate a positive learning situation and to guarantee the health and safety of all students. Pupils attending the schools of Panama-Buena Vista USD are expected to wear clothing that is appropriate for the promotion of an effective educational program. It is not the intent of the District to oppose the rights of students regarding dress but rather to assure that the rights of all students are considered and upheld. It is the responsibility of the school to provide an atmosphere where all children will be able to learn; and it is the responsibility of the students and their parents to help create and maintain this atmosphere. Conditions of dress and appearance are:
- Excessively large trousers, pants, and overalls may not be worn. All trousers and pants must be worn at the waist. Belt ends may not hang down.
- Excessively oversized shirts, including oversized tee shirts, worn outside pants are not allowed. Shirt length cannot extend beyond the tips of fingers when student is standing with arms hanging down. Overalls must be worn with straps on the shoulders, not hanging loose.
- All clothing must be neat in appearance. Commercial lettering or printing will be allowed on shirts and sweatshirts as long as it is acceptable for school attire. No clothing may be personalized other than with a given name. Any personalized printing or writing on jackets, backpacks, binders, etc. is unacceptable as is writing on the hands or other parts of the body. Clothing that is full of holes or frayed because of being cut off is not acceptable.
- Clothing that is excessively revealing is unacceptable. "Excessively Revealing" includes:
- clothing that is extremely tight fitting
- backless halter tops or dresses; tube tops; tanktop shirts or muscle shirts cut low at armpits or neckline.
- clothing that shows bare midriffs
- shorts the length of which is shorter than halfway between mid-thigh and knee
- clothing that is transparent or revealing
- underwear being worn as an outer garment
- Suggestive clothing or objects may not be worn which are libelous, obscene, or depict illegal activity. This includes buttons, arm bands, shirts, insignias, etc. Bandanas of any color or type are not to be worn. Clothing with crude or vulgar printing or pictures depicting tobacco, drugs, alcoholic beverages or clothing that is sexually suggestive or disruptive is not acceptable.
- Clothing that indicates the student's membership on community teams not affiliated with the school may not be worn. This is added to preclude the wearing of jerseys, uniforms, etc. of teams that are not associated with the school programs.
- Shoes must be worn at all times. Sandals must have heel straps. Flip flops or backless shoes or sandals are not acceptable.
- Cosmetics to the face and hair that distract from the educational process such as spray-painted hair, extreme painting of the face, glitter in the hair, etc., are unacceptable except on appropriate days declared by the administration.
The Board and administration reserves the right to declare any mode of dress that in their estimation inhibits the educational process or threatens the safety and protection of all students as unacceptable. If students are dressed in an unacceptable manner, parents will be notified and corrective measures must be taken before the student will be allowed to return to class.
