Ontario school board releases new dress code after students speak out against ‘outdated’ policy
A new dress code will be implemented at an Ontario school board after students spoke out about a policy they said was outdated and targeted females.
The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) released the new guidance on Tuesday, calling the current dress code being used by some schools outdated. They also said the policy disproportionately “targets female-identified students without considering non-binary views and identities.”
Once implemented, students will no longer have to cover up their shoulders, stomachs or bra straps. They will also be able to wear hats and expose their legs, thighs and hips.
The changes come nearly two weeks after officials at Waterdown District High School made an announcement over the PA system reminding students to adhere to a dress code that would see them cover their shoulders and stomachs.
The announcement was made two days after Hamilton police confirmed they were investigating several reports of sexual assault and harassment connected to the school.
“It felt as if they were telling us it was our fault,” Waterdown District High School student Sophie Vivian said at the time.
The principal has since apologized for the announcement, saying “the timing of the announcement was insensitive to the ongoing concerns about sexual assault” and that the school denounces victim blaming.
A number of walk outs were organized by students following the announcement.
HWDSB Trustee Maria Felix Miller told CP24 on Wednesday that the walkouts led to a “constructive” conversation as well as “self reflection.”
“It was the culmination of student trustees communicating and really amplifying the voice of students across the board, letting us know that our outdated policy and the way that it has the potential to be enforced at schools is problematic,” she said. “It caused harm and a review is long overdue.”
Miller said the current dress code singles out female-identifying students and includes a lot of language specific to female clothing.
“What we’re hoping to do in the spirit of the motion is really to make sure that we are allowing our students to express themselves in a way that they feel is most appropriate for how they identify.”
The following rules will soon be in place for students:
- A top and bottom layer of clothing made of opaque material must be worn
- Tops that expose arms, shoulders, stomachs, midriff, neck lines, chest and straps are allowed but the nipples must be covered
- Bottoms that expose legs, thighs, hips and that expose straps and waistbands will be allowed. The groin and buttocks must be covered.
- Headwear and head coverings such as ball caps, head scarves and durags are allowed but the face must be visible.
- Dress or headwear required for religious reasons will be allowed
- Undergarments must not be worn as outerwear
- Students will not be allowed to wear anything that promotes or symbolizes drugs, alcohol, illegal activity, hate or discrimination, profanity, pornography; that incites violence or harassment; or threatens health and safety
- Clothing must not depict or display hate speech
The school board also released guidelines for both staff and students about how to deal with a dress code violation, something that student trustee Aisha Mahmound says is just as important.
“It’s not about the guidelines on paper, it’s about the lack of direction and it’s about how it’s enforced and the way that it’s thought and the kind of culture and narrative that surrounds it,” Mahmound said.
Miller agreed with this statement, saying the school board wanted staff to have the tools to enforce a dress code in a respectful manner.
“We want our students to feel safe in their school and part of that safety has to do with the freedom to express themselves, how they personally feel most comfortable.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Prince Harry, Meghan arrive in Nigeria to champion the Invictus Games and meet with wounded soldiers
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, arrived in Nigeria on Friday to champion the Invictus Games, which he founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans, among them Nigerian soldiers fighting a 14-year war against Islamic extremists.
Countries struggle to draft 'pandemic treaty' to avoid mistakes made during COVID
After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organization and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Years later, countries are still struggling to come up with an agreed-upon plan for how the world might respond to the next global outbreak.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.