Henrico School Board to consider teacher dress code

Henrico County teachers may have to watch what they wear to work this fall.

After adopting a countywide dress code for students last month, the School Board now is turning its attention to staff.

Athletic shoes, flip-flops, jeans, tattoos and facial jewelry would be taboo for teachers in most cases under a draft policy to be discussed today at a School Board work session at the Glen Echo Building, 3810 Nine Mile Road.

The board is likely to recommend revisions today based on feedback from an employee survey. The revised policy then will be posted for public comment before the board considers adopting it in August.

Teachers and other staff supported the proposal in a survey from June 24 to July 7. Of more than 6,000 employees contacted, more than 2,000 responded. More than half of the respondents said the draft policy was acceptable.

As drafted, the "Professional Attire Expectations" would require staff to follow the student dress code, which prohibits tight and revealing clothing, among other items.

Other restrictions include a ban on T-shirts or sweatshirts, even on casual Fridays, unless they are school-affiliated.

In other school districts in the Richmond area, the teacher dress code is more general.

Hanover County, for instance, requires attire that reflects the professional position of the employee, is appropriate to the assignment of the employee, and is commonly accepted in the community.

In Richmond, each school is responsible for its own dress code. School officials said they are considering a citywide code.

Kent Willis, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, said Henrico could run into First Amendment issues if it allows some messages but not others on clothing.

"The more difficult issue is the question of how far the government can go to invade the personal space of employees," he said.

Two parents who e-mailed the Richmond Times-Dispatch said they supported a dress code for teachers but not necessarily all the restrictions in the draft.

The mother of a fifth-grader at Trevvett Elementary School, who asked that her name not be used, said "One of my child's teachers had on pants so tight one year for parent/teacher conferences, it left NOTHING to the imagination, and that's a bit extreme to me"

"I do admit, some of our teachers are not properly dressed all the time," wrote Kathleen Sumler, parent of a middle school student. "But to cut out blue jeans and tennis shoes at school is ridiculous. They are dealing with children. Why should they have to dress up?"

Contact Katherine Calos at (804) 649-6433 or .

Staff writers Juan Antonio Lizama and Jeremy Slayton contributed to this report.