Uniforms no longer required for MUSD elementary students

The Maricopa Unified School District has made a change to the dress code for the 2014-15 school year, and uniforms are no longer required.

The motivation for the change came from school administrators.

“This change was brought to us by all six principals in the elementary district,” said Anna Marie Knorr, an MUSD governing board member and parent. “One of the main reasons was to allow the focus to be on academics and instruction as opposed to enforcing the dress code.”

“I’m in favor of it,” said Jamie Mason, Parent Teacher Organization president at Butterfield Elementary School. “We moved from a district in California that didn’t require uniforms, so our kids had a bunch of clothes they had to stash away in their closet, and we had to buy new clothes for them when we came here.”

MUSD board member Patti Coutre said the governing board didn’t have to approve the change; it was all done through the school administrations.

“I wasn’t for the uniforms,” Coutre said. “I didn’t like the extra expense of having to buy the clothes, and I believe the uniforms were becoming more of a burden on the elementary school level. The administrators shouldn’t have to worry about enforcing the rule if a student wears a striped collared shirt or shorts instead of wearing a plain collared shirt or shorts.”

Here is a breakdown of the new dress code guidelines:

Dress code guidelines:
• Any sleeved shirt that is school appropriate and does not interfere with the educational environment
• Dresses, shorts, skorts, pants, capri pants and jeans must be clean, neat, and fit appropriately
• All skorts, shorts, dresses, skirts must be at least fingertip length when arms are resting naturally at the side
• For safety reasons, shoes must be securely fastened in the back
• Shoes with heels less than 2 inches
• For safety reasons, all hanging or loop earrings must be shorter than ½ inch
Clothing that is not permitted:
• Sleeveless shirts (tank tops and spaghetti strap tops)
• Tights worn alone
• Tight, baggy, oversized, undersized or see-through clothing
• No undergarments may show
• Flip flops or slip-on shoes without a back
• No wheels (heelies)
• No hats, hoods, or sunglasses are permitted in the building
• Fads or styles deemed inappropriate of disruptive to instruction by the administration***ADVERTISEMENT***