AUBURN — The Auburn School Committee declined to reconsider a revised dress code policy Wednesday at the request of Mayor Jason Levesque, who feels the district’s policy is “extremely lax.”
The revised dress code prohibits clothing which promotes the use of tobacco, alcohol or drugs; identifies the wearer as a member of a particular gang; is sexual, vulgar or lewd, including insulting words; and is destructive of school property. Administrators may also restrict other kinds of clothing at their discretion.
Levesque said he believes the district should hold students to higher standards.
“I don’t want to turn administrators into the clothing police, but we need to start establishing some sort of boundaries, if you would, or expectations now because this doesn’t fly in the real world,” he said.
“I’ve seen more calves and things and thighs when I walk through that high school or at graduation,” he later added. “It’s about setting them up for success.”
Levesque motioned to send the policy back to the subcommittee for further review. The committee voted the motion down 4-2, with Ward 4 representative Brian Belknap II voting with Levesque.
“In a public school system where you have a variety of students and families, I think it’s a really slippery slope (to put limits on what students can wear),” At Large representative Pamela Albert said. “I don’t think that’s something that our administrators should be focusing on, calling kids out for dress code violations. I think there are more important things to be done.”
Chairperson Karen Mathieu agreed.
The revised policy was approved by a 5-1 vote, with Levesque joining the majority.
In other business, the committee voted unanimously and without discussion to promote girls volleyball from a probationary program to a full varsity and junior varsity program.
The program has become one of the most popular athletic programs at Edward Little High School, according to an evaluation written by Athletic Director Todd Sampson. The form noted that there were 36 girls in the program last year.
The athletic department has noted a “slight decline” in the number of girls playing field hockey and soccer, it stated.
“This is inline with the national trend of decreasing participation and doesn’t appear to be associated with the development of girls varsity volleyball specifically,” he wrote. “Initial sign-up list for (high school) field hockey and girls soccer appear healthy.”
All expenses for the program have already been included in next year’s budget, it states.
The School Committee also approved revisions to policies on public participation at School Committee meetings, ethics and school safety. A revised student discipline policy was sent back to the policy subcommittee for a closer read.
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