School Dress Code Bill Moving Quickly at Capitol

Harding Middle School students walk to their next class wearing required uniforms Friday Feb. 4, 2011in Des Moines, Iowa. All Harding students are required to abide by a dress code that was instituted in August of 2009. (AP Photo/Steve Pope)

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By Kelli Sutterman

Story Created: Feb 5, 2011 at 12:28 PM CDT

Story Updated: Feb 5, 2011 at 7:35 PM CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — School district officials hope the Iowa Legislature will approve a measure making it easier for them to adopt strict dress codes.

The House Education Committee approved the measure this week and the proposal will go to the House floor soon.

It would change the current law, which only allows schools to ban certain articles of clothing. Under the proposal, school districts could let schools adopt dress codes that require standard clothing.

The proposal was prompted by a dress code implemented in Waterloo but then challenged by parents and rejected last month by the Iowa State Board of Education because it effectively required students to wear uniforms. But schools in other districts, including two Des Moines middle schools, have adopted uniform policies that remain in effect because they haven't been challenged.

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