Student dress code being amended

The Western Placer Unified School District board voted unanimously at its Nov. 16 meeting to amend the dress code effective immediately for all grade levels. School district Superintenedant Kerry Callahan said the change was prompted by "students, primarily female, being upset that the current policy was unfairly discriminating against them. Students spoke out to the board and their school principals." Changes include the permission for students to wear hats, caps and other head coverings indoors. It also includes verbiage that states a garment is within the dress code as long as it generally conceals the abdomen and undergarments. "If someone is wearing a shirt that covers their abdomen and then they lift up their arms and it shows, then that's OK," Callahan said. "If a little skin is showing, it's probably not the end of the world." The board also discussed dress code decisions being up to administration in each of the district's schools to enforce. Callahan said that students were being sent out of some classrooms for dress code violations. "Dress code has mostly been an issue at our secondary schools," Callahan said. "This will eliminate disruption of class time. Administrative offices would decide on violations, not individual teachers," Callahan said. Callahan said she plans to work with the schools in the district to have consistent expectations and enforcement of the policy. For more information on the Western Placer Unified School District's dress code, visit wpusd.org In other news The board gave their reports on the Twelve Bridges High School lockdown on Nov. 15. Twelve Bridges High School was placed on a 30-minute lockdown after a suspect attempted to flee from the Lincoln Police Department during a traffic stop, according to Western Placer Unified School District spokesperson Emma Oehler. According to the district and the Lincoln Police Department, there was no imminent threat to the Twelve Bridges High campus. School board member Kris Wyatt said she was on the Twelve Bridges campus during the lockdown. "I was there for a meeting," Wyatt said. "Everything happened so fast. I was in the office and started walking over to the classroom for the meeting. Within a minute, a teacher yelled for me to come inside." Wyatt said she was "very pleased with how quickly the campus worked together" to lock down the campus. "We never want lockdowns, whether they're good or bad, We had the best outcome we could have hoped for," Callahan said. "I do appreciate the opportunities to use these as growth and reflections. We locked down the high school in less than 60 seconds."

Western Placer to amend student dress code