Tl;dr: TDSB Policy P042 (Appropriate Dress) will be revised over the coming months. The revision process begins at the Wednesday, May 30th Governance and Policy Committee meeting at 4:30 at the Board office at 5050 Yonge Street. Members of the public are welcome to present a delegation to the committee, either by speaking (for up to five minutes) or in writing. We’re calling on anyone interested to register to delegate (requests must be submitted by Monday, May 28th), and to tell the Board we want a policy that is designed to foster equity. The End Dress Codes Collective is eager to help with the delegation process, from registration to crafting a presentation. Please get in touch!
Since last summer, the End Dress Codes Collective has made a concerted effort to sit down with trustees, TDSB committees, and TDSB staff to argue for the revision of TDSB Policy P042 (Appropriate Dress).
This past winter, we came to understand that P042 would indeed be revised, but that the revision process would not begin until a yet-to-be-determined month in the 2018-19 school year.
When it comes to dealing with policies that perpetuate oppression, we don’t have a lot of patience. In March, three of us — one current student, one former student, one teacher — presented delegations to the Board’s Governance and Policy Committee, and asked that the timetable for the revision of P042 be expedited. We want it to start now.
We have just learned that the revision of P042 is starting NOW!
Well, next week. At next Wednesday’s Governance and Policy Committee meeting, phase one of the revision process will begin when the committee sets parameters for the process.
Members of the public — i.e. YOU! — are welcome to address the committee on Wednesday, by speaking for up to five minutes, or by submitting a written statement. We are calling on all interested students, former students, parents and guardians, and just anyone who cares about social justice, to register to delegate. (Requests must be submitted by Monday, May 28th.)
There will be further opportunities for public participation in the revision process in the coming months. But we’d love to begin with a bang! — to show the Board that we’re paying attention, and we’re impatient for a policy that, rather than referring to dangerously fuzzy concepts like “appropriateness” and “decency,” is designed to foster equity.
The meeting next Wednesday, May 30th, is at 4:30 at the Board office at 5050 Yonge Street. Please let us know if you have any interest in being a delegate, or if you’d like help registering to delegate or crafting a statement. We will be there, and we’d love to see you there, too!
End Dress Codes 