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FINAL Single Pages Student Dress Guidelines 3
FINAL Single Pages Student Dress Guidelines 3
TVDSB GUIDELINES
FOR STUDENT DRESS
Thames Valley students come from diverse backgrounds and have diverse
identities and experiences. Decisions about dress are personal and reflect
individual expression of identity and socio-cultural norms and are therefore
important to student well-being.
Dress codes in schools often create and maintain ideas about dress that is
‘normal’ or ‘appropriate’ that do not reflect students’ identities – including their
gender identity, cultural identity, race and creed. As a result, dress codes can
reinforce harmful stereotypes and treat certain groups of students differently
than others, resulting in discrimination. They may also devalue students’ ability
to exercise control over their own bodies by choosing how they dress.
Thames Valley learning and working environments must be free from
discrimination. All staff must ensure students feel safe and included and
are treated fairly at school. This means affirming students’ identities in
everyday practice, and supporting interactions between staff and students
that are based on individual dignity and mutual respect.
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Using the
Guidelines
Thames Valley’s Guidelines for Student Dress:
• Set expectations for student dress in all Thames Valley
schools that are equitable and non-discriminatory.
• Ensure consistent practices across the district in communicating
with students, families and staff about dress that is suitable for a K-12
learning environment, and in having conversations with students about dress that
are supportive and inclusive.
• Prioritize safety, while affirming and respecting students’ identities, choices, and
freedom of expression.
• Help to maintain school environments that are positive, anti-oppressive, and inclusive
of diverse identities.
These Guidelines apply to all Thames Valley students and employees. The Guidelines
describe dress expectations for students, AND the responsibilities of staff for
implementing, applying, and educating about these expectations. Employee dress
should be guided by collective agreements, health and safety regulations, professional
association codes of ethics and professional job requirements.
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Language
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Susan Scafidi (2005)
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Rights and Responsibilities
A student and their administration to support the the Guidelines and their
parent(s)/guardian(s) successful implementation of effective implementation.
are responsible for the the Guidelines. Principals are also responsible
student’s attire at school. for supporting staff in
Principals and their understanding of the
Vice-Principals
Students Guidelines and for ongoing
Principals and Vice-Principals dialogue with staff about their
Students have a right to are responsible for ensuring application in the school.
express themselves, including consistent and fair application
through dress, as part of Principals are responsible for
of the Guidelines. Specifically,
their personal style. They determining, in collaboration
principals and Vice-Principals
have a right to make choices with parents/guardians,
are responsible for ensuring
about their dress and to feel accommodations related to
student dress does not
comfortable in what they wear. student dress expectations
interfere with student or staff
In doing so, students exercise as required under Ontario’s
health and safety requirements,
autonomy over their own Human Rights Code, and for
and that the application of
bodies and are affirmed in their communicating a student’s
the Guidelines does not lead
ability to make choices that accommodation(s) to vice-
to discriminatory outcomes,
impact their bodies. principals and staff as needed.
differential treatment, or
Students are responsible increased marginalization or Superintendents of
for respecting the rights of oppression. Principals and Student Achievement
other students to express Vice-Principals are responsible
themselves, make choices, and for balancing the need to Superintendents of Student
feel comfortable. Students ensure student health, safety Achievement are responsible
are responsible for following and well-being with both the for facilitating access to
the Student Dress Guidelines obligation to foster a positive professional learning for
and for supporting a school and inclusive school climate principals and vice-principals
environment that is safe, and the requirement to respect regarding the Guidelines, for
positive and inclusive. student choices and freedom of overseeing their application
expression. of the Guidelines, and for
All Thames Valley staff supporting them to resolve the
Principals are responsible for concerns of students, parents/
All Thames Valley staff are
communicating with school guardians and staff that may
responsible for following
councils, parents/guardians, arise with respect to the
the Guidelines and working
caregivers and families about Guidelines.
in collaboration with
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Decisions about dress are recognized
as personal and reflective of individual
expression of identity and socio-
cultural norms, and therefore as
important to student well-being.
Where these Guidelines are not inclusive of all dress choices connected to
aspects of a student’s identity protected by the Ontario Human Rights Code,
the student has a right to accommodation to the point of undue hardship
and consistent with all other applicable human rights law principles.
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Implementation Commitment to
ongoing learning
Principals, Vice-Principals and staff will have
access to ongoing opportunities for professional
learning related to the Guidelines and their
application in schools. It is important that all Thames
Valley employees with responsibilities under the
Guidelines have the tools, training, and opportunities
to explore fact-specific issues or questions related to
their application.
Students and families also need to understand
the student dress expectations in the Guidelines.
The Guidelines will be provided to each student
and parent/guardian and to new students and their
parents/guardians upon registration. Students and
families will receive education on harassment and
discrimination, diversity, and the need to ensure
a safe and inclusive school environment as these
concepts relate specifically to student dress.
Addressing dress-related
concerns through
education and dialogue
Implementation of the Guidelines by
Principals, Vice-Principals and staff will
consider students’ individual needs and
circumstances to ensure they are applied
equitably and effectively.
Principals and Vice-Principals are responsible
for identifying and responding to potential
violations of these Guidelines. Principals and
Vice-Principals will engage in dialogue with
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the individual student involved and the student’s family (unless the student is 18 years
old) and will approach this dialogue in a manner that is bias-aware, affirms the student’s
identity and protects privacy. Under no circumstances will dialogue with a student about
their dress have the effect of shaming the student.
Determinations by Principals and Vice-Principals that a student’s dress does not align
with the Guidelines will also be bias-aware and will be evidence based. Student dress
that does not align with the Guidelines and that threatens health and safety or promotes
violence or hatred will be treated as a serious violation of Thames Valley’s Safe Schools
Policy and Procedure; all other student dress conversations will focus on education and
awareness. Corrective action on a continuum, according to the principles of progressive
discipline as described in the Safe Schools Procedure, will be considered to address
persistent or blatant non-compliance with student dress expectations in the Guidelines.
To address student dress that does not meet the expectations in the Guidelines,
Principals and Vice-Principals may ask the student to change, remove or cover the aspect
of dress that is of concern.
Superintendent support
Principals’ questions or concerns regarding application of these Guidelines are to be
addressed to the responsible Superintendent of Student Achievement, who will support
their resolution.
NOTES on:
1. DISCRETIONARY DECISIONS
These Guidelines must be interpreted and applied in a manner that
is consistent with their rationale and objective. Student dress exceptions
to the Guidelines (e.g., Human Rights Code accommodations, activity-specific
athletic wear or sports equipment, Halloween costumes and special dress, etc.) are the
responsibility of principals, and must be consistent with the Human Rights Code, and the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Principals, Vice-Principals and staff may not use subjective discretion in applying the
Guidelines to individual student situations in a way that results in discriminatory outcomes or
that reinforces or increases marginalization or oppression.
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For more information, contact us at:
www.tvdsb.ca/Equity