On August 15, 2013, Canisius High School sent out an email which included a revised copy of the dress code and drug/alcohol policy. This new dress code is as follows: Dress shirts: - Solid color or pinstripe shirts are to be worn during the school day. - No golf, soccer, Hawaiian, tie-dyed, camouflage, loud floral, flannel, patterned, or tee shirts are permitted. - Shirts are to be tucked inside the trousers. - The only acceptable attire to be worn over a dress shirt is a sweater or a dress coat. - Rugby, flannel, team jerseys, soccer or similar shirts are not to be permitted and not to be used as a substitute for a sweater or sport coat. - Sweatshirt/hoodie should not be worn on campus during the school day. The only exceptions are dress down days and Senior Sweatshirt of the current school year. Ties: - Ties should be properly secured and worn. - Ties should cover the top button, which should be properly secured. - Only traditional ties should be worn. Pants: - Only traditional solid colored dress pants (brown, black, gray, khakis, dark blue, dark green) are permitted. - Multicolored, jeans, nontraditional colored pants are not permitted. - Baggy pants, pants with leg pockets, side loops, zippers along the side, or with rivets are not to be worn. - Students should not wear pants frayed, cut or torn in any matter. - Pants should not sag below waist. - Wallet chains may not be used. Belts: - Traditional black or brown belts must be worn. Shoes: - Black or brown shoes are the only acceptable footwear to be worn. - Shoes without backs or moccasins are unacceptable. - Casual shoes such as boat shoes or Sperry’s are not acceptable. - No snow boots, work boots are to be worn during the course of the school day. - The pant leg must be over the top of the shoe, not tucked in. - Shoes are to properly laced. - Sneakers are expected during PE Socks: - Dress socks must be worn at all times and must exceed 3” or more above the ankle. Jewelry: - The wearing of earrings or unusual or excessive jewelry is not permitted. - Bandages over earring holes are not permitted. - Visible tattoos and any form of body piercing are not permitted. Warm weather: - CHS polo shirt. - Long sleeved shirt underneath the polo shirt is not permitted. Dress down day: - Pajama pants, sweat pants and torn jeans or pants are never permitted. - T-shirts that have inappropriate messages, slogans, images that are counter to the Jesuit mission shall not be worn. Hair: - Hair is not to hang in front of or on a student’s face or below the eyebrow. - Hair extended past the collar should be neatly restrained. - Tails, parts, Mohawks, mullets, dreadlocks or any form of extreme or bizarre hairstyles and colors are not to be acceptable. Including bleached or dyed hair. - Neat braids are acceptable. - Hair must be kept, neat, clean and professional looking at all times. Facial Hair: - All students must be clean-shaven. - Any medical/religious exception for this rule requires a note from a doctor or religious leader and a face-to-face meeting between the parent and the Dean of Students. I believe the intention of this revised dress code is to require a neat and professional appearance from the students. While I agree that some of the apparel listed is sloppy and unprofessional, I do not agree with all of it. Clothing items like Hawaiian shirts, flannels, sweatshirts, rugby's, jeans, baggy pants, boots, sneakers, and the lack of dress socks do make students look sloppy. However, these items were in violation of the previous dress code. This new policy bans patterned dress shirts like those with a simple check pattern and non-"traditional" colored dress pants. Classic preppy clothing which is restricted by this new dress code can appear neat and professional. The issue is not classic preppy clothing, but rather it clothing that has been taken to the extreme. With signing this petition, I am verbalizing my disagreement with this new dress code policy and my wishes to have it amended with feedback from the student body.