Iowa public schools would be required to adopt student dress codes that promote personal hygiene, neatness and modesty under a bill that has cleared a House subcommittee.
Republican Rep. Samantha Fett of Carlisle said the bill sets minimum standards and establishes guardrails for students and the administrators responsible for enforcing the rules.
Rep. Angel Ramirez, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids who works in a middle school, said requiring students to wear clothing that is clean and in good repair could disproportionately affect lower-income students.
The bill would prohibit gang-related attire and require that students’ clothing adequately cover the body. Exposed undergarments and midriffs would be banned.
