WESTSIDE — Students will be returning to school on Monday, Aug. 15, in Decatur, Gentry and Gravette.

Teachers have been back for a week or more, holding staff development days and preparing for Monday’s start of regular classes. Practice for football and other high school sports is already under way.

A number of open-house and student orientation events have already taken place, with several more yet to occur this week - see the announcements of such events elsewhere in the Eagle Observer.

Changes in dress code will be in effect for high school students this year in all three schools because they are mandated by state law.

In accord with state law, dress requirements for the 2011-2012 school year were modified by local school boards to prohibit wearing of certain clothing during school hours and at school-sponsored activities and events.

Arkansas House Bill 1936, adopted and made law this spring, amended Act 835 to require school districts to prohibit students from wearing clothing “that exposes underwear, buttocks, or the breast of a female.”

The bill states that such dress “often preoccupies and distracts students from their major purpose of being in school, that of becoming educated in math, science, English, history, and other subjects.”

The bill further states that restricting such dress “will prevent disruptions in the learning environment, advance the education of students, enhance the preparation of students to enter the workforce, and make disruptive incidents of violence less likely to occur.”

The law also states that such dress requirements will train and better prepare students to wear clothing acceptable in the workplace.

An exception to the law was made for the wearing of costumes or uniforms by students while participating in aschool-sponsored activity or event.

Before students head off for their first day of classes, they would be wise to review changes in state law and school dress codes so that clothing is in compliance with the new regulations.

News, Pages 1 on 08/10/2011