Clearwater High students adjust to new dress code

At least a couple of students ran afoul of Clearwater High School's new modified dress code when classes resumed Monday. 

 "They're trying I think more than anything else to see what would work and what wouldn't," said principal Keith Mastorides, "They found right away that we're following through."

Mastorides said the dress code is part of a new career-oriented curriculum.  The overarching goal is to get every student "certified" for some occupation by the time they graduate, and "dressing for success" is folded into that goal. 

The rules require polo or collared dress shirts or blouses, knee-length shorts, and jeans without holes.  Colors are limited to gray, red, black and white. 

That is where Ziona Burkett's son erred with his choice of shirt. 

"It's plaid," she groused. "It's the school colors but plaid, and that's why he can't come to school."

Wanna Burney was shopping within an hour of the opening bell to replace her daughter's too-short shorts. 

"I told her to bring extra clothes anyway, so I'm not mad about it," Burney admitted. "Because we knew, we knew to bring extra clothes."

Mastorides was delighted that only a couple of dozen of his 2,000 students violated the new dress code.  He expects such transgressions will quickly disappear. 

Educators call that a learning curve.