SENATE, No. 897

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED MARCH 7, 1996

By Senators LESNIAK, McGREEVEY and Codey

An Act authorizing local boards of education to adopt dress code policies and supplementing chapter 11 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. The Legislature finds and declares that many educators believe that school dress can significantly influence pupil behavior and that schools that have adopted dress codes, including dress codes which require school uniforms, experience greater school pride and improved behavior in and out of the classroom. The Legislature further finds that to assist in controlling the environment in public schools, to facilitate and maintain an effective learning environment, and to keep the focus of the classroom on learning, school districts should be specifically authorized to implement uniform clothing requirements for their students.

    2. a. A board of education may adopt a dress code policy, which may include a requirement that students wear a school uniform, if the board approves a plan that is initiated by an individual school's principal, staff, and parents and determines that the policy will enhance the school learning environment.

    b. If the dress code policy adopted by a board of education requires students to wear a school uniform, the specific uniform selected shall be determined by the principal, staff, and parents of the individual school.

    c. A dress code policy adopted pursuant to this section shall not preclude students who participate in a nationally recognized youth organization which is approved by the board of education from wearing organization uniforms to school on days that the organization has scheduled a meeting.

    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill authorizes boards of education to adopt dress code policies which may include a requirement that students wear a school uniform. The board would adopt the policy if it approves a plan that is initiated by an individual school's principal, staff and parents and determines that the policy will enhance the school learning environment. If the adopted policy requires students to wear uniforms, the specific uniform shall be selected by the principal, staff and parents.

    Nothing in the bill is to preclude students who participate in a nationally recognized youth organization from wearing organization uniforms to school on the day of scheduled meetings.

Authorizes boards of education to adopt dress code policies.