Carmichaels Area updates dress code, cellphone policies for students
CARMICHAELS – Carmichaels Area School Board approved revisions to the policies on two contentious issues – student dress code and cellphone usage.
The board during its Thursday night meeting eliminated some of the language in the dress code policy pertaining to leggings, flip-flops and body piercings.
Prohibiting “spandex or skintight outfits” was taken out of the policy as well as “beach shoes,” flip-flops and body piercings that are not “limited to the ears.”
Board member Kenneth Ganocy questioned if flip-flops, body piercings and “mid-thigh” shorts and skirts for girls were appropriate for public school. He and board member Cheryl Voytek voted “no” to approving the changes, but they passed with a 7-2 vote.
The two board members also disagreed with changes to the electronic devices policy. Previously, students were not allowed to use cellphones, tablets, iPods or other forms of personal electronic or communication devices during the school day.
Under the updated policy, which was approved by a 6-3 vote, students can use cellphones or other electronics in designated times and areas of the building, like in the hallways between classes and in the cafeteria at breakfast and lunch. The new policy also allows for students to use electronics in class for instructional purposes at the teachers’ discretion.
“The board recognizes that cellphones and electronic devices are now an integral part of daily lives and culture,” the new policy states. “The board adopts this policy because the presence of the electronic devices in school has the potential to improve the learning experience.”
The board changed the language in the policy to ensure that misuse of electronic devices, such as taking pictures or videos of other people during the school day or sharing and storing illegal or pornographic images on electronic devices, will result in detention, confiscation of those devises and possibly police involvement.
“Students possessing electronic devices at school or school-sponsored events shall demonstrate the greatest respect for the educational environment and the rights and privacy of all individuals within the school community,” the policy states.