Clovis East High School student Cortney Garabedian is thrilled to be able to wear shorts to school this winter. "I feel like most students are really excited. Especially boys because they like wearing shorts throughout the year and so many students will enjoy wearing shorts."
For the first time in district history, students will be able to decide for themselves what to wear to class after the Clovis Unified School Board voted in favor of removing the seasonal restriction on shorts from it's dress code. The restriction has been in place for decades and it prohibited students from wearing shorts during the fall and winter months -- from October 31st through the end of March.
"The fact we continue to have mild weather throughout the year in the Fresno/Clovis area has certainly played a part," said Kelly Avants, Clovis Unified spokesperson.
But Avants said students were the driving force behind the change. "We actually have a group of students, the inter-school council, that makes a report to the board each year about the dress code."
This year, students like Garabedian recommended shorts be allowed year-round because of the warm, dry winters we have seen over the last two years. That means students will now be allowed to wear shorts, no shorter than six inches above the top of their kneecap, that are hemmed and not formfitting. All sportswear including bike, board, or gym shorts will not be allowed.
The changes will go into effect on Tuesday when kids return to school after the Martin Luther King holiday. The dress code applies to all students from kindergarten to 12th grade.
The district says it's the first revision to its policy in nearly 15 years.
