Angry parents pack dress code meeting

RICHMOND, Ind. (WISH) - Turmoil continues in the Richmond Community school system surrounding what some are calling a very strict dress code. Since school started last week, the board said about 200 students have been suspended for not following the dress code.

Wednesday night, hundreds of angry parents showed up at the school board meeting to voice their complaints about the code. In fact, so many people showed up, they had to move the meeting to a nearby school cafeteria.

It only took minutes before emotion started pouring from the parent podium.

Jackie Bell, who has two kids in RCS said, “This is what I work for, diplomas. I don’t work to buy all these new clothes for my kids. My other kids wore stripes and checks and they graduated.”

In the dress code, students can only wear plain colored clothes, and shirts cannot show the collar bone.

RCS Superintendent Allen Bourff said, “The features of our dress code, while it may not be in agreement with everyone, were designed to eliminate distractions from the learning and teaching environment.”

One concerned parent replied, “How do plaid, stripes, checks and little green alligators create chaos in this system?”

Dozens of parents yelled, cried and begged the board to change the dress code policy back to where it was a year ago, when striped and embroidered shirts were allowed.

Karen Wheeler, mother of a first grader said, “What little girl doesn’t want to wear hearts or puppy dogs on their shirts? If you lose them at elementary school, they’re not going to go to junior high or high school.”

Time and time again parents asked the board to focus on education and not clothing. Some parents insisted to the board that the dress code is a financial burden.

“My kids have no clothes for the school year now,” said Donna Clark, mother of two students.

There was a petition going around for parents who want to fight the dress code. They’re hoping to get the Indiana Board of Education and even the ACLU involved.

The school board said it has no plans to change the policy. They said the number of students in compliance far outweigh the number of students in violation.