Committee nixes dress code change

By Matthew Bernat
Turley Publications Reporter

STURBRIDGE - A school committee member’s suggestion to ban “cleavage” at the junior high went nowhere as the committee decided to leave discretion on the sensitive issue with administrators.
Members were reviewing the 2010-2011 Junior High School Student Handbook at their meeting last week when Francis Simanski, of Sturbridge, suggested amending the attire chapter.
He said the word should be included in a passage dealing with inappropriate clothing.
“My experience in the classroom tells me there is probably no more distraction in a classroom than the cleavage issue, in terms of taking attention away from instruction,” Simanski said. “I think we should consider putting a ban on cleavage.”
He proposed inserting the word into the section prohibiting bare midriffs, exposed underwear, pajamas, hats, clothing with tobacco, alcohol or drug logos/advertising, along with clothing that bears rude quotes, foul language and sexual innuendo.
The motion drew chuckles and incredulous questions from committee members.
“I appreciate the humor in this situation, but having been a classroom teacher and seeing how distracting that issue is, we need to address it,” he said.
Currently, junior high staff handles the situation as discretely as possible, said Junior High Principal Jennifer Lundwall. Often, girls are unaware of the problem, she said.
“It’s a sensitive conversation and many, many times it’s not on purpose,” she said.
When staff identifies an issue the female will be sent to a guidance counselor or herself for a private talk, Lundwall said.
“We’re dealing with emotionally sensitive adolescents who are already very insecure about their body,” she said. “Ninety percent of the time they are extremely embarrassed and zip up,” Lundwall said. If a girl uncovers after the conversation then administrators are notified, she said.
Overall, she strongly objected to the motion. “I’m really, really uncomfortable with putting something so specific about female bodies out to emotionally developing kids. It’s very uncomfortable to me,” she said.
Simanski countered other sections of the handbook already discuss exposed flesh. Adding the word cleavage might help parents properly dress students.
“Putting cleavage in the policy might help parents to help guide their adolescent daughter’s selections in the morning, prior to going off to school,” he said.
The motion was defeated by a 7-5 vote. Later, the committee approved all changes to the junior high handbook. Changes to the high school student handbook were approved with minimal discussion.