SHAMOKIN, Pa. — Like many school districts, Shamokin Area has a specific dress code. Students must wear collared shirts and khaki pants to school. But that all changes this week. Recently, the Shamokin Area School Board voted to relax the district's dress code.
"We found that our principals and administration were bogged down with lots of dress code infractions, some of which were minor," said Shamokin Area Superintendent Chris Venna.
Starting Thursday, February 1, students will be allowed to wear jeans, sweatpants, T-shirts, and sweatshirts with appropriate logos, hoodies with the hoods down, and athletic shorts that go right above the knee.
"We felt that that was reasonable. We want kids to be comfortable, and we felt that this was a way we can relax it a little bit without going too far," Venna said.
The previous dress code had been in effect since 2015.
"We've had no problems when we relaxed it during COVID, and we felt that this would be a good time to try it and see how it goes."
The people we spoke with are in favor of the change. Kayla Canavatchel has two children in the Shamokin Area School District.
"I feel that kids should be free to express themselves how they want to. I feel that they should be able to feel comfortable when they go to school," Canavatchel said.
"I'm glad because people can't afford clothes. I'm glad they changed the rules now," Linda Register said.
The new dress code starts Thursday, February 1.