Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia is no longer considering a change to its dress code that would have prohibited students from wearing pajamas or sleepwear to school.
Virginia’s largest school system unveiled the proposed change to its Students Rights and Responsibilities handbook, which includes the dress code, last month. But in a statement, a county schools spokeswoman said the proposal is no longer included in the draft of the handbook.
The school system reviews possible updates to the comprehensive guide every year.
“The development of the Students Rights and Responsibilities (SRR) and associated documents is an interactive process and is informed by feedback from multiple stakeholders, internal and external to the organization, as well as updates in response to legislative changes,” the spokeswoman said in a statement.
Under the proposed change shared with the school community in March, clothing that would be prohibited included “pajamas or sleepwear, unless worn during Spirit Week or pajama day.” However, the draft dress code didn’t include what the school system considered to be pajamas or sleepwear.
The school system’s current dress code doesn’t mention pajamas by name.
Tanganyika Millard, principal at West Potomac High School and president of the High School Principals’ Association, said high schools didn’t have an issue with students wearing pajamas to class.
“It’s nothing inappropriate,” Millard told WTOP. “It’s truly the big flannel pants, the PJ bottom pants that kids like to wear, along with either their Uggs or their Crocs to school. It’s just the thing that kids do.”
Michelle Boyd, assistant superintendent for special services, said during a Zoom meeting with the school community last month that proposed changes spanned several topics, including dress code, substance misuse, harassment, hazing and bullying.
The school board is scheduled to vote on the proposed changes to the SRR handbook in May.
