MERCER COUNTY Sharon school board to revise dress code

Lenses decorated with the American flag or any other designs won't be allowed.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
SHARON, Pa. -- Decorative contact lenses will be banned when the city schools resume classes in the fall.
That's part of a revision of the school dress code expected to be approved by the school board Monday.
Dr. Donna DeBonis, superintendent, said some changes are being made in an effort to keep up with the latest styles, and the school district will present a fashion show of "do's and don'ts" for all grade levels when school starts.
School Director Pamela Corini said one change is the banning of decorative contact lenses, which can be a disruption in the classroom because they draw so much attention to the wearer.
Tinted or colored contact lenses won't fall under the ban but lenses decorated with cat's eye designs, the American flag and or any other designs won't be allowed under the revised policy, Corini said.
The dress code will also mention low-cut tops for the first time, banning those as well, she said.
Already banned
The code already contains bans on things like bare midriffs, exposed underwear and saggy pants worn below the hips.
It makes no mention of the newer style of very low-cut pants for girls.
DeBonis said that "flip-flops," a type of rubber sandal, will be banned at the elementary level and discouraged, but not banned, at the secondary level.
School Director Christopher Gavin asked if there will be a concerted effort to enforce the dress code.
He said he sees pupils walking to and from school and some of the apparel they are wearing is clearly against the dress code.
School Director Dom Russo said he hears more complaints about dress-code violations than any other issue.
"As time goes on, things get lax," he said, urging administrators to keep up enforcement throughout the school year.
Administrators said the policy will be reviewed with staff at the start of school to encourage consistency of enforcement.