ResourcesAPS SUPPORTS NON-DISRUPTIVE CLOTHING CHOICES
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NEWS RELEASE # 22
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2008
WHAT: APS Responds to Media Inquiries
WHEN: September, 23, 2:30 p.m.
WHERE: 15701 East 1st Avenue, Suite 206
Aurora, CO 80011
APS SUPPORTS NON-DISRUPTIVE CLOTHING CHOICES
Aurora Public School staff members understand and respect the rights of students to free speech. We thoughtfully and consistently administer student discipline when needed on a case-by-case basis, but we do not suspend students for exercising their first amendment rights. As a district, we are concerned about the educational process and not whether students hold liberal or conservative viewpoints.
Our students wear hundreds of shirt designs, including political shirts, without interruption to the school day. In fairness to all students, we would review a situation that is distracting or that interrupts the environment where students are learning. The concern would be based on whether or not the article of clothing disrupts the learning environment.
Parents and students are made aware of the APS dress code in the parent/student handbook, which states: “Any type of attire which attracts undue attention to the wearer, and thus causes a disturbance to the educational process is in bad taste and not acceptable. While preserving the individuality of our students is important, we also see the importance of preserving the educational process.” When a student’s message disrupts the educational process of the school, we have the right and obligation to take action to stop the disruption.
In this case, response to the student’s shirt resulted in a very loud argument on the playground before school. The student was screaming and loudly arguing with other students. When students went to class, the discussion continued and disrupted learning in a math classroom.
On the same day at Aurora Frontier K-8, the student’s sister wore a shirt with an anti-Obama message, which did not disrupt learning and no discipline was imposed in that case. Students at this school and throughout the district, have been wearing endorsement shirts for both presidential candidates. Because these shirts have not caused disruptions, students have not been asked to remove them.
In a situation where a student’s clothing is believed to be disruptive, we would offer the student options such as: turn the shirt inside out or change into another shirt. Because the shirt did cause a disruption, we offered the student these options.
We respect the free speech rights of our students, but at the same time we must also respect the rights of all students to learn without disruption.
APS will hold a news conference at 2:30 p.m. today regarding multiple news inquiries about a student’s political shirt.
Details:
Tuesday, September 23
2:30 p.m.
Superintendent Conference Room
15701 East 1st Avenue
Suite 206
Aurora, CO 80011
***THIS WILL BE THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ON-CAMERA INTERVIEW***
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Interested media may contact APS News Media Specialist
Paula Hans at 303-326-2755 for more information
APS Communication Department
Georgia Durán, Chief Communication Officer
303-365-7805
FAX: 303-326-1939
e-mail: grduran@aps.k12.co.us
http://www.aps.k12.co.us/communications
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