Gil-Montague schools remove gendered language from dress codes - The Recorder

TURNERS FALLS — In this year’s version of the Gill-Montague elementary school handbooks, administrators are updating the dress code so it doesn’t specifically target girls.

Hillcrest Principal Sarah Burstein said the new code is similar to what is in place, but removes language specifically around female clothing, like spaghetti straps.

“We were trying to really focus on safety but also being more inclusive in terms of some of the previous language was really specific to female clothing,” she said. “So we were trying to be really mindful about clothing for all genders.”

The move was a change for the district’s three elementary schools, but Turners Falls High School and Great Falls Middle School made similar changes last year to their dress codes.

Administrators from Gill Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary and Sheffield Elementary said they coordinated the language among the three schools as a way for the wording to remain consistent for students moving through the district’s schools.

The move still advises against wearing specific types of clothing, but does not use gender-based language.

That section of the dress code now reads, “Extremely short, loose or tight clothing, such that the undergarments or body may be exposed: see-through or transparent clothing, should not be worn.”

The change came at Tuesday night’s Gill-Montague Regional School Committee meeting where the committee reviewed all handbooks for the district before they go to print for students in the coming year.

The previous dress code said, “Students should wear clothing that properly fits and covers all undergarments. Any overexposure of the body by clothing like low cut shirts, exposed backs and spaghetti strap tank tops are not allowed. If sleeveless shirts are worn at school, shoulder straps must be at least three fingers wide. Students should wear tops and bottoms that meet, even when their arms are raised. When students are wearing shorts/dresses/skirts, be sure that they are of a respectful length. The clothing must extend to the fingertips of the outstretched arm of the wearer.”

Hats allowed at high school

The high school did make a different change to the dress code, opting to change its “hat rule.”

Students will now be allowed to wear hats or hoodies as long as they’re not “posing a threat or hindrance to school activities,” according to the policy. If a staff member asks students to remove the hat or hoodie, they must comply, however.

High School Principal Annie Leonard said the policy is significantly different than the old one that completely banned wearing hats and hoodies. She said there were two reasons behind the change: student behavior following the school’s participation in “Buzz Off” where students shaved their heads for a cancer charity, and a recommendation from the Safe and Supportive Schools team.

“This is a trauma-sensitive policy in particular for students who enter the building and their day begins with a conflict with an adult simply because of a hat,” Leonard said. “Those conflicts are not promoting connectedness to school for some of the students who we most need to build that kind of connection with.”

She said after the Buzz Off, the school enacted an exemption to the hat policy and students handled it really well.

“Students handled that with a great deal of responsibility, I think really demonstrating that this is a step that we’re ready to take as a school community,” she said.

Reach Miranda Davis at 413-772-0261, ext. 280 or mdavis@recorder.com.

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