Student tells Grants Pass SD 7 board dress code disproportionately targets girls, urges policy review

Serenity Small, introduced by staff as a resident of District 7 in Josephine County, used the meeting's public-comment period to call on the Grants Pass School District 7 board to change Grants Pass High School's dress code. She told the board the code's rules — such as prohibitions on exposed midriffs and requirements that fabrics cover private parts when sitting or standing — disproportionately affect female students and rely on subjective judgments that encourage inconsistent enforcement.

"These provisions . . . presume those body parts are inherently distracting," Small said, arguing that the rules risk teaching younger girls that their bodies are "not professional" and that enforcement often targets clothing more commonly worn by girls. She contrasted school uniforms and athletic attire, saying some school-sponsored uniforms expose skin while the policy restricts ordinary student clothing.

Small asked the board to consider a research-based revision process: sample dress-code language used by Portland Public Schools and review data from the National Women's Law Center about racial and gender disparities in dress-code discipline.

Board staff thanked Small for her comment and confirmed the public-comment procedure before moving to the next agenda item. No formal action on dress code was taken at the meeting; Small's remarks were recorded as public input for the board to consider in future policy work.