Cecil County Student Dress Code

Cecil County Public Schools seeks to promote good citizenship, to provide a safe and comfortable environment conducive to learning, and to prepare students for adult professional life. Certain clothing types and styles are deemed not appropriate as school-day attire and in addition may present an unhealthy or unsafe situation. Appropriate dress is expected of all students. The responsibility for appropriate student dress lies with the student and his/her parents or guardians within approved standards set by the Board of Education and the schools.

The board directs the Superintendent to formulate regulations and guidelines that establish standards of student dress with appropriate consequences for violations.

Prohibited clothing and accessories are those that:

  • Are not acceptable to the work or learning environment
  • Pose a safety or health hazard
  • Interfere with or disrupt the educational process
  • Advocate unsafe or inappropriate behavior
  • Are vulgar, obscene, revealing or offensive
  • Demean others on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, gender, disability, or other attribute
  • Promote the use of tobacco, drugs or alcohol.

Examples of prohibited clothing and accessories include but are not limited to:

  • Head coverings, except for those worn for approved and accepted medical or religious purposes, such as:
    • Hats
    • Caps
    • Bandanas
    • Sweatbands
    • Hoods
  • Pants or slacks that drag on the floor, footwear that pose a tripping, falling, or safety hazard or clothing that conceals the identity of the wearer.
  • Clothing that is vulgar or obscene; promotes drug, tobacco, or alcohol use; demeans or defames others; or promotes violence or antisocial behavior.
  • Clothing that reveals private body parts, underclothing, midriffs, cleavage, buttocks, or those areas of the body that are normally covered by underclothing, such as:
    • Tube tops, spaghetti straps, single strap shirts, backless shirts or blouses, halter-tops, muscle shirts, or tank tops
    • Excessively short skirts, dresses, skorts, or shorts
    • Skin tight pants or shorts
    • Pants or shorts that hang below the hips
    • See-through shirts, blouses, pants or other apparel
  • Make-up, face and body painting and accessories that display messages or symbols that are offensive, sexually suggestive, vulgar, demeaning or inflammatory; encourage the use of drugs or alcohol or tobacco; promote violent, illegal or antisocial behavior; conceal the identity of the wearer, or disrupt the educational process.
  • Items that may be used as weapons or represent a danger to self or others, such as:
    • Chains
    • Spikes including spiked collars, wristbands or bracelets, rings
    • Sticks, wires, ropes or clubs

The school principal may alter these expectations to address unique circumstances or issues at the school level.