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ACLU of New Jersey Helps Protesting Student "Skirt" School's No-Shorts Policy (1/25/2006)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: media@aclu.org
NEWARK, NJ - The
American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey today announced that it has reached
an agreement with the Hasbrouck Heights School District on behalf of
Michael Coviello, a 17-year-old male student who was prohibited from wearing a
skirt to school.
"This is the right outcome," said Jeanne
LoCicero, the ACLU of New Jersey staff attorney who handled the case.
"Michael is courageous for challenging the school policy by defying societal
norms and for standing up to protest a senseless, discriminatory school policy."
Coviello, a senior at the Hasbrouck Heights High School, decided
to wear skirts and kilts to school to protest the District's prohibition on
students wearing shorts between October 1 and April 15, which he thought was
arbitrary and unfair. The school objected when he wore a costume dress and asked
Coviello to change clothes, which he did. Michael discussed the issue with the
superintendent who advised him to wear skirts and dresses purchased in a retail
store. Coviello followed the superintendent's suggestion, buying several skirts
that complied with the superintendent's guidelines. After a few days of wearing
skirts and kilts without incident, Michael was sent home with a note from the
principal stating that he would not be allowed to attend class if he wore any
sort of dress, kilt or skirt.
"I'm happy to be able to wear skirts
again to bring attention to the fact that the ban on shorts doesn't make sense,"
said Coviello, "It is discriminatory for the school dress code to allow skirts
but not shorts."
On January 3, 2006, the ACLU of New Jersey sent a
letter to the superintendent explaining that the dress policy needed to be
enforced equally: because the policy allows students to wear skirts, all
students - not just girls - should be able to wear skirts that comply with the
policy. The letter also explained that Coviello's decision to wear skirts was
expressive conduct that is protected by the First Amendment. During a meeting
last week, the district agreed that Michael would be allowed to wear skirts in
the future.
Laura Coviello, Michael's mother, said she contacted
the ACLU of New Jersey because she believed her son's right to free expression
was being violated, and that the school dress policy was unfair. "I'm relieved
that the dress policy will be enforced equally and that Michael won't be
punished for expressing his disagreement with the school's dress policy," she
said.
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