JCDB, Student Dress Code

FILE: JCDB

STUDENT DRESS CODE

The Vermilion Parish School Board has set forth the following guidelines for grades Pre-K through 12 concerning mandatory uniforms, student dress, and appearance. These guidelines seek to foster an environment which promotes respect for authority, increased safety for students and staff, and preparation for students to enter into the workforce.

The final decision as to the appropriateness of attire and appearance will be made by the principal. Therefore, prior to purchasing a particular style of attire which is neither specifically prohibited in these guidelines, contact the principal’s office of the school where your child attends in order to ensure that the particular style of attire you plan to purchase meets the approval of the school’s principal. Any student who violates the dress code will be subject to disciplinary action.

The School Board shall not exclude a student on account of a natural, protective or cultural hairstyle. Natural, protective, or cultural hairstyle shall include, but is not limited to, afros, dreadlocks, twists, locs, braids, cornrow braids, Bantu knots, curls, and hair styled to protect hair texture or for cultural significance.

Guidelines for Student Uniforms (Grades Pre-K – 12)

Students who transfer into Vermilion Parish will be allowed two weeks to purchase uniforms and comply with the policy. The principal may designate certain days throughout the year as school spirit days celebrating school sports or school-sponsored days when a spirit or club shirt may be worn with the mandatory uniform bottoms or jeans. On special occasion days such as Parish Government Day, Elocution Contest, etc., the school uniform does not have to be worn, but the clothing must meet the approval of the principal and the guidelines for student dress.
1. Pants
  1. Color must be designated khaki or navy.
  2. Pants may have pleats or straight fronts. Denim, corduroy, or blue jean materials are not allowed.
  3. All pants must have belt loops except Pre-K and Kindergarten students who may wear pull-on pants.
  4. No pockets are allowed on legs.
  5. Pants cannot be worn lower than the top of the hipbone.
  6. No emblems, monograms, or contrasting stitching are allowed except for the manufacturer’s logo patch on pants can be no larger than 1 ½ inch by 1 ½ inch.
  7. Slabbing, baggy pants, distressed jeans, biker pants, leggings, bell bottoms, patch pockets, hip huggers, low riders, bottom slits, or boxers are prohibited.
2. Shorts
  1. Color must be designated khaki or navy.
  2. Shorts may have pleats or straight fronts. Denim, corduroy, or blue jean materials are not allowed.
  3. All shorts must have belt loops except Pre-K and Kindergarten students who may wear pull-on shorts.
  4. Only inset pockets are allowed. No pockets are allowed on legs.
  5. Shorts cannot be worn lower than top of the hipbone.
  6. Length must not exceed six inches above the floor when in a kneeling position nor two inches below the top of the knee when in a standing position.
  7. No emblems, monograms, or contrasting stitching are allowed except for the manufacturer’s logo patch on shorts can be no larger than 1 ½ inch by 1 ½ inch.
3. Skorts
  1. Color must be designated khaki or navy.
  2. Skorts may be pleated or straight. Denim, corduroy, or blue jean materials are not allowed.
  3. Skorts cannot be worn lower than the top of the hipbone.
  4. Length must not exceed six inches above the floor when in a kneeling position nor two inches below the top of the knee when in a standing position.
  5. No emblems, monograms, or contrasting stitching are allowed except for the manufacturer’s logo patch on skorts can be no larger than 1 ½ inch by 1 ½ inch.
4. Skirts
  1. Color must be designated khaki or navy.
  2. Skirts may be pleated, straight, or A-line. Denim, corduroy, or blue jean materials are not allowed.
  3. Length must not exceed six inches above the floor when in a kneeling position, but skirts may be worn to the ankle.
  4. Any color shorts may be worn under skirts as long as the shorts are not visible.
  5. No emblems, monograms, or contrasting stitching are allowed except for the manufacturer’s logo patch on skirts can be no larger than 1 ½ inch by 1 ½ inch.
5. Dresses (Polo style dresses and woven belted safari style) – Elementary students only
  1. Color must be designated school colors; khaki, navy, red, black only.
  2. Dresses may be pleated, straight, or bid. Denim, corduroy, or blue jean materials are not allowed
  3. Length must not exceed six inches (6”) above the floor when in a kneeling position, but dresses may be worn to the ankle.
  4. Any color shorts may be worn under dresses as long as the shorts are not visible.
  5. No emblems, monograms, or contrasting stitching are allowed except for the manufacturer’s logo patch on dresses, can be no larger than 1 ½ inch by 1 ½ inch.
6. Jumpers
  1. Color must be designated khaki or navy.
  2. Jumpers may be pleated, straight or bid. Denim, corduroy, or blue jean materials are not allowed.
  3. Length must not exceed six inches above the floor when in a kneeling position, but jumpers may be worn to the ankle.
  4. Uniform shirts must be worn under the jumpers.
  5. Any color shorts may be worn under jumpers as long as the shorts are not visible.
  6. No emblems, monograms, or contrasting stitching are allowed except for the manufacturer’s logo patch on jumpers can be no larger than 1 ½ inch by 1 ½ inch.
7. Shirts
  1. Color must be navy, white, red or black.
  2. Shirts are to be polo style (short or long sleeve) with 2 or 3 buttons and a collar or oxford type (short or long sleeve). Denim, corduroy, or blue jean material is not allowed. For the 2020-21 school year, solid colored crew neck t-shirts with sleeves shall be allowed in the colors of navy red or black (no white).
  3. Shirts must be tucked in at all times.
  4. No emblems, monograms, contrasting stitching are allowed.
  5. Polo style shirts that include school logo shall be purchased from the school/school organization.
8. Uniform T-shirts (Only applies to high school and at the discretion of middle school principals)
  1. Color must be navy, white, red, black, or school colors.
  2. Shirts shall be purchased from the school and shall include any combination of the following: school logo, school name, school initials, or school mascot.
  3. Shirts may have the P. B. I. S. behavioral expectations.
  4. Uniform T-shirts that include school logo shall be purchased from the school/school organization.
9. Undershirts
  1. Color must be solid navy, gray, white, red, or black.
  2. Undershirts must be tucked into the uniform bottom.
10. Sweatshirts, full zip and ¼ zip pullovers or jackets – Hoodies can be worn at the discretion of the principal/as stated in the individual school handbook
  1. Color must be solid navy, white, red, gray, black, or spirit/school team sweatshirts.
  2. No emblems, monograms, or contrasting stitching are allowed except for logos/emblems approved by school.
  3. Sweatshirts may be worn over polo or oxford during cold weather. It may be worn out of the pants.
  4. The above policy for sweatshirts, jackets, etc. that contain a hood may be worn. The hood must be removed in the school building upon entrance.
11. Coats
  1. No trench coats allowed on campus.
  2. Final decision as to appropriateness of coat determined by principal.
12. Belts
  1. Color must be black, brown, khaki or navy.
  2. Belts must be worn at all times in grades 1-12. The entire belt must be worn within the loops.
Guidelines for Student Dress and Appearance (Grades Pre-K – 12)

Any clothing or apparel that is unsafe, dangerous, and distracting to the educational process or a health hazard is unacceptable.
1. Tops – See-through, tight fitting, or that which exposes the mid-section are prohibited. This shall include, but not be limited to halter tops, crop tops, tank tops, sun dresses, spaghetti straps, noodle straps, and mesh tops, etc.
2. Pants – Slabbing, baggy pants, distressed jeans, capri, knickers, biker pants, leggings, bell bottoms, patch pockets, hip huggers, low riders, bottom slits, boxers, or jeggins and joggers are prohibited.
3. Emblems and/or insignias – The promotion of profanity, obscenity, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gang, wrestling related symbols, or hate type slogans, etc. are prohibited.
4. Shoes – Flip-flops, slippers, thongs, backless shoes, and beach shoes are not permitted. Shoes requiring laces must have the laces, and they must be kept tied. Shoes are required to have a full back. Any other shoes deemed unsafe or a distraction such as light up shoes, as recommended by the Vermilion Parish Principals’ Association and approved by the Vermilion Parish School Board, are also not permitted.
5. Headdress – Hats, caps, wave caps, hoods, or any other headdress worn in school buildings during the school day are prohibited.
6. Sunglasses – Sunglasses/contact lenses, of extreme style or color may not be worn on school campuses during the school day.
7. Tattoos – Inappropriate visible tattoos are prohibited.
8. Hair – Extremes in hair style disruptive to the educational process are prohibited. Hair should be clean and well groomed. Facial hair should be neatly groomed. The fashion of some symbols cut into short hair cuts are allowed at the discretion of the principal using 2 (C) as a guideline.
9. Jewelry – Spiked choke collars, chains on pants, occult type jewelry, or anything distracting to the educational process are prohibited. Earrings are allowed in the ears only. However, distracting or dangling earrings are not allowed. No visible body piercing jewelry is allowed anywhere on the body. All ear gauges must be solid and not to exceed 5/8 of an inch. No hollow plugs, hanging gauges, spirals, earlets, tunnels, tapers, pinchers and tusks are allowed.
10. Law enforcement ankle monitoring systems – Ankle bracelets and/or electronic monitoring devices must be concealed.
Guidelines for Non-Compliance

Failure to comply with the guidelines for dress, appearance, or uniforms will result in parental contact by the school. Further non-compliance may result in one or all of the following: in-school suspension or suspension from school.

GUIDELINES FOR COLD WEATHER DAYS

Free dress for cold weather days may be worn, at the discretion of the Superintendent, when extenuating weather circumstances arise. The Superintendent will make the determination of such extenuating circumstances where free dress for cold weather is allowable.

Adopted: September 15, 2016	Revised: July 21, 2022
Revised: June 21, 2018	Revised: November 17, 2022
Revised: July 16, 2020	Revised: July 17, 2025

Scott v. Board of Education, 304 N.Y.S.S. 2d 601 (1969)

Karr v. Schmidt, 460 F. 2d 609 (5th Cir. 1972)

Board minutes, 4-13-95, 6-9-99, 9-2-99, 5-17-04, 5-5-05, 5-21-07, 6-16-11, 7-18-12, 9-15-16, 6-21-18, 7-16-20, 7-21-22, 11-17-22, 7-17-25

Vermilion Parish School Board