Dear Editor:

As a Panther Valley School Board member, I have always believed that when we make rules and policies that they should be followed and are for everyone, however, I have come to find out that is not always the case.As you probably already know, the Panther Valley School District adopted a dress code policy, a policy which provides specific guidelines for students to dress as they attend the school district, all buildings. For those parents who have adhered to the policy, I commend your for your efforts and thank you for your cooperation.As a school board member, I have met several challenges in getting high school administration to follow that policy. Since the beginning of the school year, the principal has allowed some students to wear a jacket and/or hoodie during school and if you are a "contributor" (one who participates in activities) to the school, then the dress code can be overlooked (high school principal)", a sincere apology to those parents whose kids do not participate in activities and have received discipline referrals due to the fact that your child wore a jacket or hoodie during school. That certainly was not the intention of the policy when adopted by the school board. The policy states that students can wear a sweater atop their collared shirt, this is the only attire.Secondly, the policy states that students are permitted to wear straight legged dress pants or slacks, so to all of those parents who purchased such, I again commend your adherence to the policy as set forth and adopted by the school board. High school administration has been allowing students to wear yoga/workout pants to school stating "it conforms to the spirit of the dress code." I don't really remember reading any "spirit" wording in our dress code policy that includes yoga style pants. I again, referred the policy to the principal that students are only permitted to wear dress pants or slacks, to which he replied that "the dress code needed clarification." What? You don't know what dress pants/slacks are? Have you been wearing yoga pants to school?!For those diligent parents who believe in following policies 100 percent, I thank you as a school board director. Every day I receive numerous complaints about administration bending the policy and making up their own rules and guidelines.I will continue to fight the battle as a school board director to ensure that our policies ARE following 100 percent.Koreen M. NalesnikPanther Valley School Board director