WORCESTER, Mass. - After three years of minor changes, the Worcester Public School District approved a new and inclusive dress code policy for students.

"(The policy) says you come to school with a shirt, a top and safe shoes," Worcester school committee member Laura Clancey said. 

What You Need To Know

  • Students need to come to school in a shirt, pants and safe shoes
  • Pupils can mostly wear what they feel most comfortable in
  • Officials will not discipline for dress code violations
  • Offensive clothing is still prohibited

The new, inclusive policy is simplified to allow for culturally appropriate clothing and to allow students to wear almost anything to class as long as they feel comfortable.

"Shorts that have to be long enough or meet the fingertips, that is all gone," Clancey said. "We are just saying come to school, ready to go. That is what we want. We want our students ready to go and that is the most important thing."

Clancey calls the older policies unfair and said she's experienced it first hand with her own children. 

"We wanted to make sure students have the freedom to express their individuality," Clancey said. "More importantly, not get penalized for things someone may not like and really take out the judgment of what our students are wearing."

Another major change to the policy is that a student cannot be disciplined or removed from class as a consequence for a dress code violation. 

"In the original policy, principals had a right to render judgment and take disciplinary action," Clancey said. "We basically took that out."

Conduct rules still prohibits students from wearing offensive clothing, including any clothing with graphics or artwork that promote drug and alcohol use or violence.

"There are some things your T-shirt could say that could trigger another student," Clancey said. "Those things we are still going to be able to discipline you for." 

The new dress code has taken effect and will be included in next school year's student handbook.