The Shelbyville Central Schools board approved the middle school and high school student handbooks Wednesday night with no discernible changes to the dress code or backpack policy.

Shelbyville High School assistant principal Bri Kompara and Shelbyville Middle School assistant principal Wes Hall appeared before the school board in March to discuss possible changes to the handbooks.

Board members discussed what would be considered appropriate clothing for a school environment but wanted more time to fine tune the language for the handbooks.

Approval of the handbooks were not granted at the board’s April meeting.

Examples of clothing considered inappropriate are that which is designed to reveal students’ bare midriff, chest, back, buttocks, undergarments, or lack of undergarments.

Pajama pants became a talking point in the early discussion. The approved clothing guidelines continue to state “pajamas, pajama pants and house shoes are not appropriate school attire and should not be worn.”

“Fundamentally, speaking for myself and not necessarily the board, we have to trust our administrators and in some level empower them to make the right decisions,” said school board president Curt Johnson. “I’m not sure if this is the decision I would have made but at the end of the day they are the boots on the ground. Empowering our staff and trusting their judgment on something like this is the right thing to do.”

A staff survey of 118 teachers at the middle school and high school came back 79% in favor of not allowing backpacks in the classroom. Twenty-four teachers voted to allow backpacks.

Students may bring backpacks to school but they must be stored in their lockers.

“The teachers have been against it. I can tell you that this was maybe the most commented upon issue that I’ve had since I’ve been on the board,” said Johnson. “There was an initial shock and trouble initially adjusting but in talking to people, I think the kids adjusted. It’s not the emotionally-wrought issue it was at the beginning of the school year.”

Johnson confirmed there was no formal survey taken of students with regard to the backpack issue.

“I think the backpack issue resolved itself because people learned to deal with it,” said Johnson.

 In other board business Wednesday:

• Approved the Shelbyville High School marching band’s trip to Orlando, Florida, in June 2023. Approximately 80 students will travel to DisneyWorld and Universal Studios from June 5-June 11 and march in a Disney parade and participate in a workshop with a professional Disney musician.
• Approved Shelbyville High School’s Youth Summer Camps schedule – boys basketball (June 13-15), football (June 20-22), volleyball (June 20-22), girls basketball (July 11-13), tennis (July 18-22) and cheerleading (fall/winter).