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Community Corner

Platt Teacher and Union Rep Derides Proposed Dress Code Change

Geoff Kenyon tells school board that teachers waste too much time enforcing the dress code.

 

During the public comment portion of Tuesday night’s Meriden Board of Education meeting, Platt social studies teacher and teacher’s union representative Geoff Kenyon spoke out against a proposed dress code policy.

“The overwhelming feeling in the building is that we are channeling too much valuable time, energy and resources into a futile pursuit,” Kenyon said.

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The school board’s Policy Committee has recommended for city schools. The new wording would not ban specific clothing items, but would ban clothes that are too form fitting and that expose undergarments or private body areas.

Kenyon said that he would like to see the time currently focused on dress-code violations spent on things that would support student learning instead.

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The dress code has led to “an unhealthy atmosphere, an ‘us versus them’ mentality,” Kenyon maintained.

He cited an increase in students being suspended for dress-code violations. Those students are missing valuable class time, he said.

He also suggested that the school board consider school uniforms.

The board didn’t act on the policy at Tuesday night’s meeting, but will likely vote on it at the next full board meeting on April 3.

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