September 30, 2015
Judge Tom
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Judge Tom

That’s an excellent question. Schools are entitled to establish and enforce dress codes. So long as the dress code does not discriminate on the basis of sex, religion, race, etc., then most likely it’s okay and does not violate students’ rights. If a school’s dress code forbids ALL hoodies and does not discriminate by saying boys can wear hoodies and girls can’t or hoodies with Jewish symbols are unacceptable while ones with Christian symbols are okay, then the policy is probably legal and does not violate any rights. If you want to challenge the school’s dress code, you could consider starting a petition and getting as many students, parents and even teachers to sign it as possible. We assume you are talking about public schools. Private schools can establish their own dress code policies. Thanks for writing. (Check our Teen Help Network for more help and resources in your area. This is information only – not legal advice.)

Judge Tom

The Author Judge Tom

Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.