Uniforms are optional in the Allentown School District this year

May 16, 2024

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Students in the Allentown School District may be showing more of their own personalities with their clothes this school year.

The school board approved making school uniforms optional and recently approved new guidelines on what dress is considered acceptable and what is still off-limits. What appears to have been the most controversial change is the wearing of hoodies.

The school board voted to eliminate mandated school uniforms in late May. The board created the uniform policy in 2013. District officials and proponents at the time reportedly advocated for uniforms to create a business-like learning environment, help families save money on school clothes and prevent the wearing of gang colors, inappropriate attire and bullying.

Before the school board relaxed the uniform policy, the district surveyed more than 7,300 students in K-12 grades and 20 administrators. Most kids and staff who were questioned wanted to do away with the mandate, but parents were less enthusiastic about a change.

The updated dress code now allows hooded sweatshirts, which was language changed earlier this month by the school board after some debate. The previous wording under consideration specified that the hoodies must allow the student's face and ears to be visible to staff.

Board member Lisa Conover suggested removing the word hoodie to deescalate the concern around the clothing item.

“If it's not a problem, why are we even talking about a hoodie," she said. "You understand? If it doesn't say in our handbook that they can't wear a hoodie, and it's cold in the classroom, and they put a hoodie on, what would give a teacher or administrator… what would make them single that kid out and say, ‘Hey, you got to take your hoodie off.’”

But other board members advocated for the word to be included in the handbook, expressing concern that not mentioning “hoodie” at all might confuse students and staff, especially if a district employee was attempting to discipline a student for a dress code violation.

Allentown schools Superintendent Carol Birks said hooded sweatshirts are an issue in schools across the country.

“This has been a bone of contention, not just for Allentown, but this is a national thing with children wearing hooded sweatshirts to school and battling with teachers and it's just not us,” she said. “It's a problem.”

The new dress code guidelines require students to wear pants, shirts, skirts or something similar. It must cover undergarments and not be see-through. Clothes have to be suitable for classes such as physical education and science lab. Shoes must have a hard sole, such as sneakers, dress shoes and boots.

Allentown students are banned from wearing outfits that use or show hate speech that targets groups because of protected characteristics including race, gender, sexual orientation and religious affiliation.

Also prohibited is attire that includes images or depictions glorifying violence, drugs, alcohol and promoting illegal or gang activity.

A full description of the Allentown School District’s dress code is in its 2023-24 Parent and Student District Handbook.