Request for Freedom of Appearance

This petition is reserved to students, parents (or guardians) and teachers of Livingston Parish schools. All signers are subject to investigation of their actual registration to a Livingston Parish school.

Since the beginning establishment of Livingston Parish education of Louisiana, USA, a strict and demanding dress code has been in effect and taken it's toll on students, parents and instructors alike. This petition has the intention of giving the school bored the idea to at least consider removing or lowering the standards of the uniformed dress code of Livingston Parish. The suggested dress code is as fallows.

1. Shoes must be worn
2. No excessively large, torn, or worn-out clothing will be permitted.
3. No patches, emblems, or advertisements of a suggestive, indecent or obscene nature will be allowed.
4. Clothing designed for an undergarment shall not be worn as an outer-garment.
5. Clothing must cover the shoulder of students with a garment of at least three (3) inches in width. No muscle shirts,basketball jerseys, tank tops or spaghetti strap tops will be permitted unless worn as a vest-type garment over a shirt with sleeves.
6. Halter tops will not be permitted.
7. Shorts and skirts may be worn if the length extends to the tip of the longest finger with the arm fully extended downward.
8. Midriffs, cleavage, or backs will not be exposed.
9. Underclothing will be worn.
10. See-through clothing will not be permitted.
11. Headdress will not be worn in buildings.
12. Taps, cleats, or spikes on shoes will not be permitted.
13. Any style of clothing tending toward immodesty will be prohibited.
14. Facial hair must be neatly trimmed.
15. Gang related apparel or any apparel conveying racial overtones is prohibited.
16. Clothing, hats, caps or other personal property which advertises or promotes the use of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs shall be prohibited.
17. Clothing, hats, caps or other personal property which conveys obscene, lewd, or vulgar comments, messages or portraits shall be prohibited.
18. Clothing, hats, caps or other personal property which portray sexual double entrendres shall be prohibited.
19. Clothing, hats, caps or other personal property which portray or include comments which are harassing, threatening or demeaning to a certain group of people shall be prohibited.
20. All pants, shorts, skirts, etc., shall be worn with the waistband or beltline around the waist and above the hips.
21. Clothing, hats, caps or other personal property which shall cause a disruption to the learning process or which serves as a hazard to the safety of students shall be prohibited.
22. Anything not covered in the code that is distracting to either a teacher or student should be brought to the attention of the administration.
23. For the safety and well being of all students and staff, coats, jackets, windbreakers, vests, and other similar outer garments which extend below the knee in length shall be prohibited.
24. Students shall not wear any attire which shall impinge upon the health, safety, and welfare of the students and employees within the district.
25. Extreme hair coloring and bizarre hairstyles (such as the Mohawk longer than 6" in length) can be considered detracting to the student body and will not be tolerated.
26. Students with more than ordinary amounts of pockets are subject to search by school officials.
27. Chains, spikes and other potential weapons are not permitted by the dress code and can be confiscated by school officials.

In other words, there will be no dictation of the color or type of the shirts, nor will shirts be required to be tucked in or belts be worn at all times. Hair can be worn in any fashion, however can not be covering the eyes during lecture or conversation between student and instructor as a sign of respect. Extreme hair coloring may distract the learning environment, and would not be tolerated by this dress code. The initial idea behind this new dress code written by the students for the students will create a whole new learning experience for it's pupils. The current dress code adds stress and actually makes it harder to find clothes rather than make everything simpler as intended.

Students, however, should be trained in a uniform fashion at a younger age. This will prepare them for whats waiting as an adult and get them used to the idea of being prepared for their futures. Older students who have already learned this lesson would have it in their best interest to express themselves in a positive way through clothing.

By denying the students' choice; rather than allowing their ability to choose, actually harnesses the students mind to a negative state, giving the children the feeling of being oppressed and controlled. The learning environment should be stimulating and an enjoyable place to arrive to every day. Many students have dropped out just for their ability to dress the way they choose. Allowing students more freedom by passing this new dress code may stop drop-outs tremendously.

Students who harass, segregate or make another feel inferior due to the clothes worn by another is subject to severe punishment under this new dress code. The freedom to dress as wished can be revoked from constantly troublesome students.

The message we, the student body, are sending is this,
"As a student of a registered Livingston Parish school, I am obligated to express my opinion and sign this petition in support of it, regardless of its approval or disapproval by the school board. My opinion is as fallows, we as children live in an age where choice becomes more limited everyday, the farther in life we go. When I graduate from high school, I will either go to college or start working and as a working citizen, I will be subject to dress as society wishes. My childhood should be about freedom, and let me be just what I want to be before the world of work and industry chooses for me. I swear, by signing this petition, that I want my voice to be heard. I want to make a difference and make my learning environment more pleasurable for me and my fellow students."

The message the concerned parents of Livingston Parish students is as fallows, "We, the parents of a presently attending student of Livingston Parish, agree that a child should have the right to choose how he or she is to be portrayed in the learning environment. I understand that my child could be harassed or secluded by the way he or she chooses to dress and my child accepts the consequences. No complaints will be made as I so solemnly swear by signing this petition to help make Livingston Parish more appealing to the student body and my child in particular."

The instructors that object to the current dress code agree to the fallowing statement, "I am a registered educator of a registered Livingston Parish school, and as such I see that there is little to no harm in students choosing the way he or she dresses. I feel that my instructing within and outside my classroom will not be negatively impacted by the new dress code."

As such, this petition will remain in effect until the limit of signatures is reached to convince the school board that this is a supported idea by students, parents and staff of Livingston Parish.

Please consider our feelings towards this matter and God bless.