Dress Code Revisions Introduced

Revisions to the Kamloops-Thompson School District’s District Dress Code were presented to the Board of Education following a stakeholder consultation process that began in December 2020, involving students, parents, teachers, support staff and counsellors.

“I am grateful for the efforts of all the stakeholders involved,” said Board Chair Rhonda Kershaw. “We recognize that a student’s choice of dress reflects their self-identity. This revised dress code provides students the freedom to dress in any way they choose, within a safe and inclusive framework.”

The dress code prohibits clothing that undermines the principles of safety and inclusivity, including the promotion of hatred, tobacco, illegal drugs or alcohol, illegal activity, obscenity, profanity, pornography or obscene images.

“Having students directly involved in the revision of this dress code was an important part of this work,” said Bill Hamblett, Assistant Superintendent. “It will also provide principals with the direction they need to ensure the school dress code is current and equitable across the district.”

A diverse stakeholder group participated in the consultation:

• District Student Advisory Council
• District Parent Advisory Council
• Aboriginal Education Council
• Kamloops Thompson Teachers’ Association
• Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3500
• Kamloops Thompson Principal and Vice Principal Association
• Kamloops Sexual Assault Counselling Centre
• School District SOGI Representative
• School District Diversity Student Representative

At its first meeting on April 14, 2021, these representatives were asked to share a draft of the current Administrative Procedure Dress Code with their constituents to get written feedback.

When it reconvened May 14, 2021, themes from this feedback were discussed, and a student group from South Kamloops Secondary made a presentation regarding a recent SKSS dress code process. Based on input from this meeting the District Dress Code was revised.

The stakeholder group met again on June 16, 2021 to review updates to the revised dress code, and these revisions were reviewed by the Employee Policy Advisory Committee on June 29, 2021.