CHICAGO — Starting next school year, dress code policies at Chicago’s public schools can no longer ban head coverings tied to race, ethnicity or hair texture, a change approved without discussion Wednesday by the Chicago Board of Education.
The Tribune last month found in a comprehensive review of recent school dress code policies that more than 115 public schools in the district banned protective hair-care items such as do-rags, wave caps, head-wraps, bonnets and bandannas. Some students of color who spoke with the Tribune said bans on protective head coverings made them feel like parts of their identities or their culture were not welcome at school.
Some schools, including charters and military academies, are not subject to the district’s dress code guidelines. Still, the new policy will apply to more than 500 public elementary and high schools in Chicago.
