Senate Bill 0546

    Florida Senate - 1998                                   SB 546

    By Senator Dyer





    14-226-98

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to education; requiring the

  3         Department of Education to adopt a statewide

  4         uniform dress code policy for public school

  5         students; providing an effective date.

  6

  7  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  8

  9         Section 1.  Legislative findings.--The Legislature

10  finds that:

11         (1)  The children of this state are entitled to an

12  effective public school education.

13         (2)  Students attending, and staff working in, public

14  schools in this state are constitutionally guaranteed a safe

15  and secure school environment.  The safety of that environment

16  is diminished by the ever-present threat of violence in

17  society which permeates the schools.

18         (3)  Gang-related apparel, which is a reflection of the

19  violence in society, poses a threat to the school environment.

20         (4)  Instructing teachers and administrators on the

21  subtleties of identifying the constantly changing aspects of

22  gang regalia and gang affiliation takes an increasing amount

23  of time away from the education of children in this state.

24         (5)  Weapons, including firearms and knives, which have

25  become commonplace on school campuses, may be concealed by

26  students under oversize or loose clothing or in large bags.

27         (6)  The adoption of a statewide uniform dress code

28  policy is a reasonable step in the protection of students and

29  educators.  A uniform dress code policy would alleviate many

30  of the problems associated with the wearing of gang-related

31  apparel on school premises.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 1998                                   SB 546
    14-226-98




  1         (7)  The adoption of a statewide uniform dress code

  2  policy would authorize district school boards to establish and

  3  maintain an effective learning environment that keeps the

  4  focus of the classroom on education, not personal safety.

  5         (8)  Many educators believe that school dress

  6  significantly influences student behavior.  Schools that

  7  require students to wear a certain uniform while on school

  8  premises have experienced a general collegial feeling,

  9  increased school pride, and improved student behavior in and

10  out of the classroom.

11         Section 2.  The Department of Education shall adopt a

12  reasonable dress code policy with statewide application which

13  requires each public school student in this state to wear a

14  school uniform.  Implementation of the school uniform policy

15  shall begin on the first day of the 1998-1999 school year.

16  The policy must permit any student who participates in a

17  nationally recognized youth organization to wear the

18  organization's uniform on days on which the organization has a

19  scheduled meeting.

20         Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

21  law.

22

23            *****************************************

24                          SENATE SUMMARY

25    Requires the Department of Education to adopt a statewide
      uniform dress code policy for public school students
26    beginning with the 1998-1999 school year.  The policy
      must allow students who are members of nationally
27    recognized youth organizations to wear organization
      uniforms on days when those organizations meet.
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