Harford County board hears mixed feedback on dress-code enforcement; some members suggest studying uniforms

Dr. Stanton, a board member, told the Harford County Board of Education at its Jan. 13 work session that administrators, teachers and some students report dress-code rules are generally followed but enforcement appears inconsistent across schools. “What I'm hearing from most people who dress code is being enforced. When there's an infraction, students are being told to correct the problem or asked to correct the problem and generally they comply,” Dr. Stanton said.

The discussion centered on hats/hoods, midriff exposure and perceived targeting. Dr. Stanton said hats and hoods are regularly addressed and most students comply, though she described at least one case in which a parent insisted a child be allowed to keep wearing a hat. She reported students who feel targeted for midriff enforcement sometimes think judgments are based on body type: “One of the students' main complaints was that she was…