School board drops uniform rule
Students in the Pine Bluff School District will no longer be required to wear uniforms starting this coming school year.
The district’s board Wednesday unanimously approved a change in the student dress code to no longer mandate that students have to wear black or khaki pants along with a solid-colored polo shirt, the color of which coincided with their grade level. Superintendent Jennifer Barbaree requested the change after receiving feedback from parents and students in handbook policy meetings and visits to campuses.
“It was something they brought up every time: ‘Ms. Barbaree, what’s the dress code? What are you going to do about the dress code?’” she said, referring to students, in introducing the amended policy. “They wanted to know and they gave suggestions. I took their suggestions. I was appreciative of their thoughtfulness they put into what we needed and how we needed to dress, and then Ms. [Cheryl] Hatley in student support services held handbook meetings, and again, in those meetings, dress code was a big question, and parents provided
The Pine Bluff School District Stop the Violence video is available at PineBluffSchools.org and on YouTube at: youtube.com/watch?v=eDQtbEZs6oo
their input on that.”
The dress code also no longer bans students from wearing pullover hoodies.
Barbaree detailed the new dress code based on recommendations she received:
■ No face covering; displaying illegal drugs, obscene, lewd or vulgar language; tobacco; gang symbols; bandanas or political statements;
■ No head coverings of any kind while indoors – “… so even if they are wearing a hoodie, they don’t wear hoodies indoors,” Barbaree said – but they can be worn out
side as long as there are no gang insignia
■ No sunglasses while indoors;
■ No sagging;
■ Shorts must come at least to mid-thigh while dresses and skirts must come within 3 inches above the knee;
■ If wearing leggings, the shirt must come to midthigh;
■ All shirts and tops must have sleeves to cover the shoulders for both genders;
■ No pants with holes, tears or rips above mid-thigh;
■ Students should not wear clothing that reveals midriff;
■ No pajamas or house shoes;
■ No blankets or trench coats;
■ Any clothing that reveals gang insignia should not be worn;
■ ID badges for grades 7-12 are part of the dress code and must be worn at all times;
■ Backpacks are mesh or clear.
“The kids just want to try a dress code where they can wear street clothes and dress up if they want to dress up,” Barbaree said. “That doesn’t mean we’re not going to monitor if they dress up like they should dress up for school.”
Board trustee Lozanne Calhoun recommended a measurement for how far above the knee dresses and skirts may be worn be specified, and the board agreed on 3 inches.
“’Just above the knee’ may be different to someone else,” Calhoun said, reacting to an earlier recommendation.
Also, at the request of trustee Jomeka Edwards, the board agreed to include an exception for religious wear.
The new dress code will be printed in the 2023-24 student handbook, which has not yet been adopted by the board.
HIP-HOP STARS Three PBSD students, all siblings, received certificates from Barbaree for their part in creating a rap video encouraging young people to stay safe this summer and imploring the community to stop the violence.
Joell Finley and Joven Hamlet rapped lyrics in “Let’s All Support It.” The video is available on the district’s website – PineBluffSchools.org – and also features their sister, Micahla Finley, who plays a concerned grandmother admonishing a young lady to stay home because it’s too late to hang out.
“Help our community and stop the gang bang / We got the power so we make the change,” Joell rapped.
“We all promote it because this is our motive / safety’s important, so let’s all support it,” Joven rapped.