Karis Wilson posing for a picture of her outfit she wore to NorKam. She was told to change or go home. Wilson went home, leading to a protest at the school in February, 2021. (Image Credit: Christopher Wilson)

By Aaron Schulze

Dress Code

SD73 amends dress code, aims for free choice while staying safe

Jul 6, 2021 | 5:07 PM

KAMLOOPS — SD73 will have a district-wide dress code for the 2021-22 academic year.

During Monday’s (July 5) board of education meeting, the newly-introduced dress code showed that students should be free to dress in a manner of their choosing, subject to the terms.

Students must not wear that promotes the use of tobacco, illegal drugs, alcohol or illegal activity. Clothing, insignias, symbols or adornments that promote targeted hate is also prohibited, along with clothing that contains profanity, pornography or obscene images.

Other than for religious purposes, health and safety requirements, or where required to accommodate a disability, students must not wear clothing which obscures their face.

Board Chair Rhonda Kershaw said the main difference with the dress code is it being more safety-based, such as wearing closed-toe shoes in shop classes or pulling hair back in food classes.

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Talks about modifying the dress code emerged in February, 2021 when a NorKam Secondary student was sent home, leading to a protest from her peers.

“We really want to ensure that students feel a sense of pride and dignity in what they wear to school, and that is their free choice,” Kershaw said. “Our role is not to dictate what students are going to wear to school, that’s their choice, all we want to do is make sure they’re safe. We had extensive consultation with partner groups, and we had various student reps. We haven’t had student reps involved in the dress code in the past. School by school there was, but not district-wide.”

Student reps included the District Student Advisory Council, School District SOGI Student Representative, and School District Diversity Student Representative. The District Parent Advisory Council, Aboriginal Education Council, the Kamloops Thompson Teachers’ Association, the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3500, the Kamloops Thompson Principal and Vice Principal Association and the Kamloops Sexual Assault Counselling Center also partook in the process between April 14 and June 16.

Staff must respond to Student Dress Code violations in a manner that is discreet, respectful and clearly references the specifics of the dress code concern. The dress code also ensures students can wear their own clothing to obscure any violations, instead of wearing clothing provided by the school.

Staff must also be consultative with school administration prior to addressing a dress code concern with a student and include school administration contacting parents or guardians of any student that has violated the code.