New Dress Code Hits The Books For Plummer-Worley School District Aims To Reduce Distractions, Gang Problems

Students won’t be the only ones who will have to alter their wardrobes this fall under a new dress code in the Plummer-Worley School District.

Ron Miller, an administrator and football coach, said he’ll now have to leave his trademark baseball cap at home.

“Hopefully me being an example will help with the transition,” Miller said.

Under the dress code, which was approved by the school board last week, the district prohibits clothing that is obscene, depicts gang membership or advertises alcohol, tobacco or drugs.

Students won’t be allowed to wear pants or shorts that sag below the waist, hats or other head coverings such as bandannas, see-through clothing, skintight pants without long tops, strapless or spaghetti-strap dresses or blouses and chains, spiked jewelry or nose rings.

“We want our students and our staff to act, to speak and to appear professional,” Superintendent George Asan said. “This is not a beach. This is a public school and I expect attire to reflect good taste in the public environment.”

Those who violate the dress code will be sent home to change, Asan said.

The district’s dress code is in line with other policies in North Idaho, including those in Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls.

But that doesn’t make Plummer-Worley’s new policy any more appealing to students.

“You should be able to wear what you want to be comfortable in school,” said Adam Kolar, 17, who will be a senior at Lakeside High School.

Kolar said he likely wouldn’t be affected by the new rules because he usually wears T-shirts and jeans. He gave up caps in middle school, after administrators banned them.

As for school officials who say some clothing disrupts learning, Kolar doesn’t agree.

“With some people that might be,” he said. “But that’s just because they have a short attention span and they don’t want to learn anyway.”

The new rules drew mixed reactions from parents as well.

Wanda McPeak, who has four children in the district, said she agreed with some of the policy but thought barring hats goes too far.

“I’m not sure that we really in this community have the gang problems they keep telling us we do,” McPeak said. “Worrying about which way the kids are wearing their hats is a little bit extensive.”

In May, administrators at Lakeside Elementary School in Worley held a gang-prevention assembly after several students allegedly were beaten in a gang initiation.

Becky Schulz, who also has four children in Plummer-Worley schools, said the move to eliminate gang-like clothing is a wise one.

“I don’t have a problem with it,” Schulz said. “For some of the kids, it’s probably a good thing.”

This sidebar appeared with the story: DON’TS The district prohibits clothing that is obscene, depicts gang membership or advertises alcohol, tobacco or drugs. Students won’t be allowed to wear pants or shorts that sag below the waist, hats or other head coverings such as bandannas, see-through clothing, skintight pants without long tops, strapless or spaghetti-strap dresses or blouses and chains, spiked jewelry or nose rings.