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Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School has announced a revised dress code after the previous one sparked widespread discontent among students and families.
The new policy, announced Aug. 29 with implementation starting this week, lifts some restrictions on clothing length and coverage while incorporating gender neutral language.
For example, rather than “cover from underarm to mid-thigh,” garments must reach the upper thigh while covering the “buttocks, genitals and hips.” The dress code lifts the ban on leggings, tights or yoga pants, which were previously not allowed unless they were worn with an additional garment that reached the mid-thigh. Instead, these types of bottoms are now acceptable when opaque.
In an effort to be gender inclusive, the new policy removes the word “midriff,” stating that clothes must cover the “chest, back, abdomen and sides.” It also allows for sleeveless tops as long as they “cover undergarments and go over both shoulders,” reversing the requirement that tank tops and spaghetti straps be worn with a cover-up.