School Dress Code Regulations at Simon Fraser School

Dressing appropriately is an important part of being prepared for school. All students and staff are responsible for managing their own personal clothing while still promoting a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning and work environment.

Basic Principle: clothes are worn in a way such that genitals, buttocks, abdomen, breasts and chests (including nipples) are fully covered with opaque fabric. All items listed in the “must wear” and “may wear” categories below must meet this requirement.

At Simon Fraser, students MUST wear (which meets the basic principle above):

• Top (shirt, tank top, etc. with fabric in the front, back and on the sides under the arms)
• Bottom (pants, sweatpants, shorts, skirt, dress, leggings, etc.)
• Shoes: depending on your course-load & other student activities, activity-specific shoe requirements are in place (physical education, science labs, construction, and other activities where unique hazards exist.)

At Simon Fraser students MAY wear (as long as it meets the basic principle above):

• Hats. Hats must allow the face to be visible to staff, and not interfere with the line of sight of any student or staff.
• Religious headwear
• Hoodie sweatshirts (wearing the hood overhead is allowed, but the face and ears must be visible to school staff)
• Fitted pants, including opaque leggings, yoga pants and “skinny jeans”
• Ripped jeans, as long as underwear and buttocks are not exposed.
• Tank tops, (including spaghetti straps), and halter tops
• Athletic attire
• Faith-based jewelry, objects and articles of clothing as long as they are worn respectfully, and do not have a message with the intention to convert others

At Simon Fraser students are not permitted to wear:

• Violent, sexual, or racist language, images, or associations
• Images or language depicting drugs or alcohol (or any illegal for minors' item or activity), or use of the same
• Hate speech, profanity, sexualization, pornography, or gang related affiliations/logos/images
• Clothing and accessories that depict or incite hate speech or the degradation of individuals or groups based on race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religious beliefs, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, body type, physical or mental disability, family status or socioeconomic status.
• Visible underwear (visible waistbands or straps on undergarments worn under other opaque clothing are not a violation)
• Bathing suits (except as required in class or athletic practices)
• Crop tops that intentionally expose the abdomen (minimal exposure of an abdomen during movement is not an exposed abdomen)
• Accessories that could be dangerous or considered as a weapon

Students will be requested to change if they do not meet these standards, or they may be sent home to change. Note: Outside coats or jackets along with bags and purses must be left in lockers.

The dress code is reviewed once a year with staff, students and families. New items or changes can be added or made.

Enforcement of Dress Code

To ensure effective and equitable enforcement of this dress code, school staff shall enforce the dress code consistently using the requirements below. School staff shall not have discretion to vary the requirements in way that leads to discriminatory enforcement.

Students in violation are provided three options to be dressed more to code during the school day: 

• Students will be asked to put on their own alternative clothing, if already available at school, to be dressed more to code for the remainder of the day
• Students will be provided with temporary school clothing to be dressed more to code for the remainder of the day
• If necessary, students’ parent(s), guardian(s), or caregiver(s) are called during the school day to bring alternative clothing for the student to wear for the remainder of the day.
  • Kneeling or bending over to check attire fit;
  • Measuring straps or skirt length;
  • Asking students to account for their attire in the classroom or in hallways in front of others;
  • Accusing students of “distracting” others with their clothing
  • Calling out students in spaces, in hallways, or in classrooms about perceived dress code violations in front of others

No student should be affected by dress code enforcement because of racial identity, sex assigned at birth, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, cultural or religious identity, household income, body size/type, or body maturity.

Students should not be shamed or required to display their body in front of others (students, parents, or staff) in school. “Shaming” includes, but is not limited to:

These dress code guidelines shall apply to both staff and students, and applies to regular school days and special event school days, as well as any school-related events and activities such as Halloween costumes, off-campus events, school trips, graduation ceremonies, dances, etc. In the case of questionable dress or grooming that is not specifically covered in the list above, the administration will make the final decision.