As an extension of the Safe School Act enacted last spring, Education minister Janet Ecker recently announced all school boards must have appropriate dress policies in place by the end of June.
But while this may be news to some, the Rainy River District School Board already is ahead of the game.
“This component of the Safe Schools Act is a practise we started last year,” noted Education Director Warren Hoshizaki. “Knowing it was coming along, we contacted all of our school councils then.”
Since Ecker’s announcement stressed policies devised before now must be reviewed to ensure they fall in line with her guidelines, Hoshizaki noted a team at the board once again will bring the issue of appropriate dress and school uniforms to the table.
“We’ll also get a look at templates from across the province. Since everybody else will be doing it, we can share ideas,” he remarked.
But if the previous consensus was any indicator, things here may not change much at all. “Looking at the last consultation, we have not seen many schools or councils in favour of the uniforms,” noted Hoshizaki.
Ecker’s statement declared all policies should include:
•a process that enables a majority of parents, through their school councils, to decide on what an appropriate dress policy should be for their schools;
•a requirement that school councils be involved in the development and implementation of the process;
•a statement of principles upon which the policy is based (e.g., working towards safer and more respectful learning and teaching environments);
•consistency with the Human Rights Code and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (e.g., disability, religious beliefs);
•an explanation for any term used (i.e., appropriate dress, dress code, or school uniforms);
•expectation for student compliance with a board policy on appropriate dress, dress code or school uniforms;
•a process to address issues of affordability; and
•a review/monitoring process, for board and school level policies, which shall involve consultation with pupils, teachers, staff, and volunteers working in the schools, parents and guardians, school councils, and the public.
The policy must be in place by the end of June for implementation beginning in September.
The Northwest Catholic District School Board was not available for comment on the policy before press time.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
