Existing law authorizes the governing board of any school district to adopt or rescind a reasonable dress code policy that requires pupils to wear a schoolwide uniform or prohibits pupils from wearing gang-related apparel. Existing law authorizes these actions if the governing board of the school district approves a plan, which may be initiated by an individual school’s principal, staff, or parents, and determines that the policy is necessary for the health and safety of the school environment. Existing law also authorizes individual schools to include the reasonable dress code policy as part of their school safety plans. Existing law prohibits a dress code policy adopted pursuant to this provision from precluding pupils who participate in a nationally recognized youth organization from wearing organization uniforms on days that the organization has a scheduled meeting.

This bill would declare that, notwithstanding any other law, a pupil has the right to wear religious, ceremonial, or cultural adornments, as defined, at school graduation ceremonies. The bill would also declare that nothing in its provisions shall be construed to limit a local educational agency’s authority to prohibit an item that is likely to cause a substantial disruption of, or interference with, the ceremony or to expand or diminish any pupil rights established under specified provisions related to school dress codes and pupil freedom of speech.