Sangamon Sun

Board member of Springfield School District 186 feels they are unnecessarily burdening families with dress codes.

The Springfield District 186 board of education has discussions on a big potential change in the district.

“The schools that have the enhanced dress code have the highest low-income families. I have a concern with that. I feel like we're burdening families unnecessarily for these enhanced dress codes that no one can seem to explain to me the benefit that they bring. It does not stop absenteeism and does not make you better at math, it does not stop bullying behavior. It doesn't do any of those things,” said Buffy Lael-Wolf, board member of Springfield School District 186.

Board member Buffy Lael-Wolf brought up some concerns to her fellow board members. She discussed her thoughts over the past few years since she joined the board about the enhanced dress code that exists in some of the district’s schools. An enhanced dress code requires certain color pants, black or khaki etc., and, then certain colors of polos or shirts for the students. These enhanced dress codes currently exist at Franklin, Grant, Jefferson, Washington Middle Schools and two elementary schools. 

One of the other middle schools in the district, Graham, has recently done away with the dress code after much talk with parents and staff. Board member Lael-Wolf said she has had numerous meetings with principals and staff at the middle and elementary schools and has not received a solid reason for why they still have the dress code. She proposed that the board look at doing away with them, or instating them across the district, at their handbook revisions in March/April. 

The biggest concern about the enhanced dress code is equity, both for the district and for the families within each of the schools. The sentiment was that the district should be consistent across all elementary and middle schools: they all have the dress code or none of them do. They were also concerned with families who struggled to keep up with the demand of dress codes, ever-growing students who need new clothes, limited access to laundry, and tattered hand-me-downs being mentioned.