The San Francisco Board of Education voted unanimously this week to update the school’s district’s dress code.

The updated policy will allow schools to set their own policies on the wearing of hats, caps and other head coverings in school and remove any district wide restriction on these items provided they do not promote obscenity or illegal activity.

The new policy amends out-of-date and irrelevant provisions listed in the current dress code, and removes any explicit mention of school suspension as a punishment for violation of the dress code, according to the district.

New provisions remove suspensions as a consequence for not following the dress code and encourage schools to develop their dress codes in an inclusive manner, with the input of students, staff and the community.

The policy requires that staff enforce their new dress codes in a consistent manner, and that information about each school’s dress code be disseminated to all students and families.

Commissioner Matt Haney

Commissioner Matt Haney authored the resolution.

“With the passage of this resolution, school communities will have the opportunity to develop their own dress standards by taking into consideration the voices of students, parents, and staff,” said Haney. “Teachers will no longer have to chase students around the hallways enforcing a hat ban simply because it is district policy, and we will ensure that students aren’t suspended or sent home for dress code violations.”

The new policy will go into effect at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year.

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