When students in the Kamloops Thompson school district return to school in the fall, they will have a new dress code.

A major change is that teachers will no longer to be able to decide if someone’s clothing is appropriate or not.

“I think the highlights are this; that the district recognize that a student’s choice of dress can form an important part of self identity and a student should be free to dress in a manner of their choosing subject to the terms and they are laid out. There are a number of things that we don’t want students to wear,” said Assistant Superintendent Bill Hamblett.

“Things that would promote or denigrate people or persons including but not related to hate based on race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sexual or sexual orientation, gender identity and or the expression of age.” Hamblett says that comes right out of the BC Human Right’s code.

Trustee Kathleen Karpuk had concerns about gender inequity with regards to the dress code wondering if one group of students would be allowed to wear one type of clothing while another group would not be allowed based on gender. Hamblett responded saying each school will not develop their own dress code. “This does not allow for that. This is one district dress code. So, everybody follows the same and that speaks to equity across the district and expectation.”

“In certain instances, each staff member would be able to address a minor dress code concern. For example, if I ask you to cover your face because you’re in a shop I don’t need to consult with the administration on that. This is the expectation for safety in my class. If and when you’re addressing a specific dress code concern for example, an insignia that promotes or has pornographic or obscene images on it or something that denigrates people of a different sexual orientation than yourself, well that is something you would want to involve your  administration with.”

Hamblett says it should be pretty clear cut that an article of clothing is not appropriate and then senior staff at the school could be involved and the student’s family would be contacted.

The new dress code policy will be reviewed every three years.